Sightseeing with thrills: The 4 most frightening places in Liège

Sightseeing with thrills: The 4 most frightening places in Liège

April 11, 2025

Liège, a historic city in Wallonia, hides in its nooks and crannies places that can give you a real thrill. While mostly known for its rich history, impressive architecture and cultural heritage, it also has a dark side that attracts paranormal seekers and thrill-seekers. Abandoned forts, mysterious staircases, haunted ruins and places marked by tragic events all await the brave who wish to explore the terrifying face of this Belgian city. Get ready for a journey through five of Liège's most sinister locations that guarantee an unforgettable, though not necessarily pleasant, experience.

Ad

Montagne de Bueren and the Citadel - a stairway to hell and a fortress of ghosts

The Montagne de Bueren is not only one of Liège's most recognizable attractions, but also a place shrouded in dark legend. This monumental staircase, consisting of exactly 374 steps, was built in 1881 to allow soldiers quick access to the citadel in case of an attack on the city. However, local legends claim that the stairs are much older and lead to a place where pagan rituals were once performed. According to urban legends, during the full moon, the whispers and moans of the souls of those who died during the construction or defense of the city can be heard here.

The most terrifying experience awaits those who dare to climb the Montagne de Bueren after dark. The steep stairs, often shrouded in fog, create the illusion as if they lead straight up into the sky - or into the abyss. Residents tell stories of mysterious figures seen on the stairs at night, and of inexplicable phenomena such as sudden gusts of cold wind or the feeling of being watched. Some claim to have heard footsteps behind their backs, despite being alone on the stairs.

It is interesting to note that in October, the stairs are illuminated by thousands of candles during the Nocturne des Coteaux de la Citadelle event. However, this magical event has a dark undertone - according to some, it is supposed to ward off the evil spirits that haunt the place. For paranormal seekers, climbing the Montagne de Bueren on an ordinary foggy evening can provide much more excitement than during the festival.

At the top of the stairs is the Citadel of Liège (Citadel of Liège), another place with a sinister reputation. This former fortification, built in the 12th century and rebuilt many times, has witnessed numerous battles, executions and suffering. During World War I, it served as an execution site, where Belgian civilians accused of sabotage were executed. Today, the ruins of the citadel are said to be haunted by the souls of innocent victims.

Visitors to the citadel often report feelings of unease, sudden drops in temperature and the impression that someone is watching them. Ghosts in the former dungeons and guard chambers are said to be particularly active. Some claim to have heard sounds of fighting, screaming and crying there, especially on anniversaries of historic battles. The guides tell of cameras that stop working in certain places, and of mysterious orbs of light appearing in photographs.

The Citadel also offers a panoramic view of the city, which on a cloudy day takes on an ominous character. The old walls, overgrown with moss and ivy, create the perfect setting for ghost stories and tragic events from the past. For lovers of history and paranormal phenomena, combining a visit to the Montagne de Bueren with an exploration of the Citadel makes for an unforgettable, chilling experience.

Fort de la Chartreuse - an abandoned fortress full of ghosts

Fort de la Chartreuse is undoubtedly the most sinister place in all of Liège. This abandoned fortification, built by the Dutch between 1817 and 1823 on the site of a former Carthusian monastery, has a dark history behind it that attracts paranormal seekers from all over Europe. The fort served as barracks, a military prison, and during both world wars as a field hospital and a place to hold prisoners of war. It was finally abandoned by the Belgian military in 1988 and has been deteriorating ever since, gradually being swallowed up by nature.

Today, Fort de la Chartreuse resembles a set from a horror movie - cracked walls, dark corridors, collapsing ceilings and graffiti-covered walls create an atmosphere of unease and horror. Most frightening, however, are the ghost stories that are said to inhabit the place. The most commonly reported phenomenon is the presence of the ghost of a young soldier who committed suicide in one of the prison cells. Visitors claim to have heard his footsteps and sobs echoing through the empty corridors.

Another legend associated with the fort is the story of the 'White Lady' - the ghost of a nurse who died during an epidemic in a field hospital. According to accounts, she appears in the former hospital section, and her presence is heralded by a sudden chill and the smell of disinfectants. Some claim to have seen her silhouette flitting among the ruins or standing in the windows of abandoned buildings.

Fort de la Chartreuse is also known for its inexplicable sounds - moans, whispers and sounds of fighting, which can be heard especially after dark. Researchers of paranormal phenomena have conducted numerous recording sessions here, during which they have recorded voices that have no rational explanation. Ghosts are said to be particularly active in former prison cells and hospital rooms, where suffering was most intense.

An interesting fact is that the fort is partially overgrown with rare plant species, which adds to its mystical character. Nature is gradually reclaiming the site, creating a surreal landscape where concrete structures intermingle with wild vegetation. This mixture of decay and rebirth creates an atmosphere of limbo - a place suspended between the world of the living and the dead.

For the adventurous, the Fort de la Chartreuse is available to explore, though caution should be exercised due to the poor state of repair of the buildings. It's best to visit this place in a group and during the daytime, unless you're a particularly adventurous ghost hunter. It is worth remembering that many people who have visited the fort after dark have reported feelings of being watched, the touch of invisible hands or even aggressive behavior by spirits toward those who have shown disrespect for the history of the place.

Compared to other creepy places in Liège, the Fort de la Chartreuse stands out for the intensity of its paranormal phenomena and its authentic atmosphere of abandonment and decay. While the Montagne de Bueren or the Citadel are regularly visited by tourists and kept in relatively good condition, the fort remains a crude, almost untouched testimony to the city's dark history by preservationists.

Cathedral of St.. Lambert - the lost temple and its dark secrets

The Cathedral of St. Lambert in Liège is a place that no longer physically exists, which makes it even more mysterious and sinister. This monumental Gothic temple, once one of the largest and most magnificent in Europe, was completely demolished during the French Revolution of 1794-1795. Today, in its place is the Place Saint-Lambert, and beneath the square is the underground archaeological museum Archéoforum, where you can see the cathedral's foundations and the remains of earlier buildings.

The cathedral's history is marked by blood from the very beginning. It was built on the site where Bishop Lambert of Maastricht was assassinated in 705. According to legend, Lambert was killed for denouncing the immoral union of Pepin of Heristal, ruler of the Franks. The martyr's blood is said to have soaked into the ground, and the site of his death became a pilgrimage destination. Originally a small chapel was built there, which in time became a massive cathedral.

Over the centuries, St. Lambert's Cathedral has witnessed numerous tragic events - fires, profanations, vandalism and political murders. A particularly dark chapter in its history was the use of the temple as a place of judgment and execution during the witch hunts of the 16th and 17th centuries. Hundreds of women accused of witchcraft were interrogated in the cathedral's vaults, tortured and sentenced to death.

The demolition of the cathedral during the revolution was an act of extraordinary barbarism - the revolutionaries methodically dismantled the building stone by stone for more than a year. According to local legends, many of the workers involved in the demolition later met a tragic fate - they died under inexplicable circumstances or descended into madness. Liège residents interpreted this as a curse cast by the spirit of St. Lambert.

Today, the Archéoforum allows you to go underground and stand on the original floors of the cathedral. It is there, in the underground, that visitors most often report paranormal experiences. Some claim to have heard chanting of chorales, despite being alone in the museum. Others speak of sudden drops in temperature, the feeling of someone's presence or even ghostly figures in clerical robes flitting between the pillars.

Ghosts are said to be particularly active in the area where the cathedral's main altar was located and in the area of the former crypts where bishops and aristocrats were buried. The guides tell of instances when visitors, not knowing the history of the place, pointed to exactly these points as causing them the most anxiety.

An interesting fact is that many architectural elements from the demolished cathedral were used in the construction of other buildings in the city. Residents believe that along with these stone fragments, some of the 'energy' of the former temple was also transferred. That's why some buildings in Liège that contain elements from St. Lambert's Cathedral also have a reputation for being haunted.

Compared to other creepy places in Liège, the story of St. Lambert's Cathedral is the most tragic - a tale of the complete annihilation of a monumental work of art and faith. While the Fort de la Chartreuse is slowly deteriorating, and the Montagne de Bueren and the Citadel still exist in their original form, the cathedral has been brutally erased from the city's landscape. This emptiness, this absence of something that should have been there, creates a special kind of unease that is felt by sensitive visitors standing in the Place Saint-Lambert.

For seekers of paranormal sensations, a visit to the Archéoforum after closing time, when the footsteps of the last tourists are quiet, can provide the most intense experience. In the silence of the underground, surrounded by relics of the past, one can almost hear the echoes of the centuries - prayers, chants, cries of victims and the sounds of demolition. This is the place where history speaks the loudest, and the boundary between the past and the present seems the most fragile.

Similar articles

Ad