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Forts not open to tours
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rt Tower of Fo s. le el nc Bo
FORTS NOT OPEN TO TOURS
forts not open to tours
Out of the twelve Brialmont-built fortresses which made up the Fortified Position of Liège in 1914, nine received a mention in military dispatches (the exceptions being Barchon, which – according to General Leman – had yielded too soon, and Flémalle and Hollogne which, left to their own devices, abandonded their futile resistance on August 16). For the campaign of May 1940, we have on record the open radio message broadcast from the headquarters of King Léopold III: “Soldiers of the forts of Liège, I am proud of you.” BONCELLES
CHAUDFONTAINE
Standing by itself between the Meuse and Ourthe rivers during the two wars, Boncelles had its moment of glory in May 1940 thanks to its heroic commander Numa Charlier, who was killed in action. Since 2010, the Boncelles fortress has housed an educational site dedicated to armoured vehicles. Its collections are constantly updated. A tourist interpretation centre, telling a large part of the fortress’s history, has reached partial completion.
This quadrangular fortress, protecting the Vesdre valley, was shelled from August 14, 1940 onwards and met a similar fate to the fortress at Loncin. At 7:30 am on the morning of August 13, an explosion in the powder magazine killed 97 of its defenders and fatally wounded 30 more, bringing about the surrender of what was now no more than a pile of rubble. Currently, the site is operated by FORT ADVENTURE SPRL, offering a range of obstacle courses and play trails.
Info : Sergei Alexandroff - asbl LA TOURD’AIR Rue du Commandant Charlier 89/90 - B-4100 Boncelles mob. +32 (0)474 40 70 11 - www.latourdairboncelles.be asbllatourdair@skynet.be
Sprl Fort Ad venture
EVEGNEE Repurchased in 1971, the Evegnée fortress is presently used by the Forges de Zeebruges company for storing its explosives. The company occupies two production halls and several secure testing rooms.
FLERON The outstanding defence put up by the fortress during the course of the two wars – the effectiveness of its firing in 1914 would be remembered in particular – was not enough to save it from dismantlement when homes were built at the Cité du Fort. Only a few traces, which are not open to the public, remain of it today.
Info : Rue du 13 août, 42 - B-4050 Chaudfontaine tel. +32 (0)4 361 08 20 ou 40 - info@fortadventure.be
LIERS Having withstood the bombardments up until August 14, 1914, this fortress was used after the Liberation as an execution site for those sentenced to death by the Belgian military courts. The company Techspace Aero presently uses it for its reaction engines, and it is not open to the public.
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