Liège invested in architecture from the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and that is paying off. Liège is the biggest and a highly gentrificating city in the Walloon part of Belgium, a lot of that has to do with the new train station Guillemins-Liège.

Liège-Guillemins is the most important station of Liège and the second most important station in Wallonia. It ‘s also an important stop of high-speed trains, making the connection between Brussels, Leuven and Keulen. Knowing the importance of the station, Liège decided to invest big money 15 years ago. They played it safe and designated the Spanish architect Calatrava, who is already known for his other train stations in Lyon and Zurich.

After eleven years of building, the station was finally ready in 2009. Resulting in a big masterpiece. Calatrava used black stone from outside Liège for the flours, Spanish steel for the frame and his typical white concrete made out of cement watered with white sand. The massive masterpiece is extended over 200 meters and 30 meters in the sky. On days like these it can be really cold because of the open spacing, but nevertheless worth the visit.

What it stands for is a mystery. Some say it’s a woman, others say it’s a whales’ skeleton and others refer to a wave of La Meuse, the river that flows through Liège. Let’s just say it is a mind teasing piece of art(chitecture). And get ready for more, because in 2015 a smaller city in Wallonia, called Mons will also receive this Calatrava train station! Happy happy.

© I love Belgium

I LOVE BELGIUM

i LOVE BELGIUM

I LOVE BELGIUM

I LOVE BELGIUM

I LOVE BELGIUM

I LOVE BELGIUM

I LOVE BELGIUM

I LOVE BELGIUM

I LOVE BELGIUM