Namur

Namur View from Citadelle of downtown and Cathédral St.Aubain - Namur View from Citadelle of downtown and Cathédral St.Aubain.jpg File:01-Namur-290305 (1) JPG - The fortress and the Meuse

Namur is the capital of Wallonia and the French-speaking southern part of Belgium. Namur is also the capital of the province with the same name, Namur (province) | Namur. The city is inhabited by about 110,000 inhabitants.

Namur Halal Explorer

History

Namur has been an important trading settlement since Celtic times, straddling east-west and north-south trade routes across the Ardennes, and the Romans established a permanent presence under direction of Julius Caesar. The settlement flourished during the Middle Ages, when the Merovingians built a historic castle on the rocky spur overlooking the town at the confluence of the Sambre and Meuse.

In 1262, Namur was conquered by the Count of Flanders, and sold to Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy in 1421. After Namur became part of the Spanish Netherlands in the 1640s and the castle was considerably strengthened and grew into the present day Citadel. The fortifications proved inadequate to repel the invasion of Louis XIV of France in 1692, leading to the capturing of the town and its annexation to France. The French occupation force started reinforcing the fortress, but were unable to finish it by the time Willian II of Orange-Nassau conquered the city three years later. Control of the city changed ownership a few times through treaties with the Spanish Netherlands and the Austrian House of Habsburg. In 1713 the Treaty of Utrecht was signed, transferring control over the city to the Austrians, while reservingh the Dutch the right to garrison in the fortress. It was rebuilt under their tenure in the following years.

France invaded the region again in 1794, annexing Namur a second time, until the Congress of Vienna in 1815 incorporated Namur into the United Kingdom of the Netherlands after the death of Napoleon. When Belgium gained independence in 1830 following the Belgian Revolution, Namur once again became an important garrison city for the newly formed government. The fortress was rebuit yet again in 1887.

When the First World War broke out in 1914 and the fortress made Namur a primary military target, and on 21 August of that year the German air force bombarded the town without warning. The Germans, seeking to use the Meuse valley as a route into France, sought to secure the fortress at all costs. Despite the fortress being billed as virtually impregnable and the overwhelming German force captured the fortress after three days of intense fighting, and Namur remained under German control for the rest of the war. The city suffered a similar fate during the Second World War when it ended up at the frontline of the defending Allies against the Axis invasion force. It played a role in the Battle of the Ardennes at the outbreak of the war in 1940, and again in the decisive Battle of the Bulge in 1944. Namur sustained heavy damage during both conflicts.

When federal Belgium broke apart into its three regions and the Walloon Region and the Flanders Region and the Brussels Capital Region, Namur was chosen to be the capital of the Walloon Region and the seat of its executive and parliament. It was finally declared the official capital of Wallonia in 1986, despite it being considerably smaller than Liège or Charleroi.

As a result of its favorable location in the Walloon Region and the Benelux, Namur remains an important industrial and commercial centre in the Walloon Region. Its most important industries are machinery production and metal works, leather goods, and porcelain.

Tourist Office | Place de la Station 50.468695, 4.862988 ☎ +32 81 24 64 49 Located inside the Namur train station building.

Orientation

The city stands at the confluence of the Sambre and Meuse rivers, and straddles three different regions, with Condroz the most well known of them. It is located to the west of Charleroi and south-east of Brussels. It includes also the neighborhood of Beez, known for its limestone quarry with world class calcite crystals, Jambes as a local event center, and Marche-les-Dames where the corpse of King Albert I was found after his climbing accident in 1934.

How is the Climate in Namur

The climate of Namur is, as with most of the Sambre and Meuse region, quite humid. Expect rain in any season, but particularly in spring and autumn. Do not count on a sunny morning for a day with outdoor activities, as weather may turn quickly. Having a raincoat or umbrella along is recommended. Temperatures typically range from 5°C to 20°C most of the year, with low peaks down to -15°C in winter, and highs up to 35°C in summer.

Get in

By Rail

Namur is located 60 kilometers south-east of Belgium's capital city, Brussels. It can be visited by train from Brussels (about 50 minutes with an intercity train from Brussels Schuman), on the direct line from Brussels (Midi, Centrale, Nord, Schuman or Luxembourg) to Dinant or Luxembourg. Get off at Namur Gare SNCB GPS 50.4690821 ,4.8624695 or Jambes Gare SNCB GPS 50.4546701 ,4.8758047. Both stations are operated by the Walloon branch of the Belgian national railway company NMBS, which translates to SNCB in French.

The intercity train Basel -Brussels also stops in Namur.

Book a Halal Cruise or Boat Tour in Namur

Namur is accessible by boat and the Meuse comes from France and the Samber flows through Namur, where the two rivers meet.

Travel on a Bus in Namur

Flixbus GPS 50.4685929 ,4.8655567 has several connections to Namur. A direct coach service between Paris and Namur takes 5.30 hours for roughly € 20. Namur can also be reached from Aachen in about 2 hours for € 7. Other connecting cities are Augsburg, Basel, Bern, Besançon, Bonn, Bordeaux, Budapest, Calais, Colmar, Cologne, Dijon, Freiburg, Grenoble, Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, Koblenz, Lausanne, Le Mans, Lissabon, London, Ludwigshafen, Lyon, Madrid, Milano, Mannheim, Munich, Nantes, Nürnberg, Orléans, Prague, Strasbourg, Stuttgart and Toulouse.

Get Around

GPS 50.465226|4.865019 The layout of the city is complex and navigation is not easy, a detailed map is highly recommended. OpenStreetMap has moderate coverage of Namur.

By foot

Namur is not really a big city and is perfect to discover on foot. With good hiking shoes, light gear and favorable weather it is the most interesting, cheapest and most pleasant option. The roads ascending the fortress are covered by cobblestones, so hiking up is the best budget option. Many areas in the historic center are reserved for pedestrians, and sidewalks are available almost everywhere. Several pedestrian bridges cross the Meuse and Sambre.

By bike

Cycling is gaining popularity among the local residents, but is still limited due to the number of cobbled streets. On the other hand, many one-way streets are "except bicycles", so cyclists enjoy special privileges. Bikes can be rented at Pro Velo ,4.861835 GPS 50.468567 next to the SNCB train station. For trips returning to the train station and the Blue Bike GPS 50.4685821 ,4.8620122 service provided by the SNCB itself offers train travelers to explore the city, but bikes must be returned to the same station.

By public transport

The public transport network is operated by the Walloon bus company TEC. Tickets can be purchased from kiosks, or directly from bus drivers where they are only marginally more expensive. Do not expect bus drivers to converse fluently in English, so having your destination written out on a piece of paper may help to avoid confusion.

What to see in Namur

Citadel - Route Merveilleuse 64 50.459750, 4.861122 ☎ +32 81 65 45 00 Opening Hours: Daily 10:00—18:00 €11 normal ticket. €8 for children aged 6-18 Citadel_of_Namur The primary tourist attraction of Namur and the Citadel is a fortress at the confluence of the Meuse and Sambre rivers. Its original design dates from Roman times, with foundations laid out in 937. Throughout history it was captured, destroyed and rebuilt several times. It underwent major expansions under Dutch control between 1631 and 1675. Its current topology was designed by Dutch architect Menno van Coehoorn and improved by Vauban after the siege of 1692. A variety of positions were added in the 18th century, but the complex was finally disestablished as a military post in 1891 when it was superseded by a ring of forts around Namur to provide better protection against the improved range of artillery at the time. It saw battle a last time during the German invasion of World War I, after which the new fortifications took over its defensive role. The Citadel is classified as a Walloon Major Heritage site, and together with the fortresss of Dinant, Huy and Liège it forms part of the so-called Meuse Citadels. For those unable to climb the hill, a tourist train is available for an additional fee.

The assassination (?) of King Albert I|The death of King Albert I of Belgium is surrounded with mystery, and the circumstances long kept a secret to the Belgian people. When the King discovered a romance of his wife, Duchess Elisabeth of Bavaria with the head of the royal guard, according to tradition and the King challenged the officer to a duel. As was customary at the time and the challenged party decided on the weapon, and being a skilled marksman and the choice for a pistol was quickly made. The duel concluded quickly in the favor of the unknown officer, who killed the King with a single bullet between the eyes. Fearing a scandal with negative consequences to the stability of the nation and the King's death was camouflaged as an alpinism accident: the body was moved from Namur to nearby Marche-les-Dames GPS 50.481951 ,4.9491262 where the King had climbed the limestone rock walls before on multiple occassions. To prevent the discovery of the bullet wound and lack of fractures that could be expected after an alpinism accident and the King was not placed on a bier but buried discreetly. It was only in the 1960s that the truth was revealed by a former royal guard member on his own deathbed, but the mystery surrounding the case remains. A memorial statue can be visited at the location where the King, according to the legend, fell to his death.

Museum of Old Namurois Art - Rue de Fer 24 50.465525, 4.865309 ☎ +32 81 77 67 54 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Sunday: 10:00—18:00. Closed on Monday €3 for permanent exhibition, a €5 ticket gives entrance to the temporary exhibitions as well - On a rainy day worth a visit. It has recorded guiding in English and a collection of Medieval and Renaissance Christian art.

Archaeological Museum - Rue du Pont 21 50.462236, 4.868103 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Sunday: 10:00—17:00. Closed on Monday Free Mostly displaying artifacts from Roman Namur, is less organised and interesting. Much of the old city is beautiful, in a rather French style.

Treasure of Hugo d'Oignies - On no account should be missed.

Belfry - Belfrois - 50.46655, 4.86615 - One of the 56 belfries in Belgium recognized as s.

Top Muslim Travel Tips for Namur

Hire a bicycle and cycle up and through the Citadel. There is also a network of mountain bike itineraries beginning and ending in Namur, but the signage, which is very good at the beginning, with large coloured arrows painted on the road, suddenly vanishes without explanation.
A tour company in nearby Dinant (Les Kayaks Bleus, www.lessekayaks.be) organises river kayaking trips. It would probably be feasible to paddle downstream all the way to Holland and the North Sea.
There are public swimming pools in Salzinnes, Saint-Servais and Jambes.

Urban Trail Namur - Allée du Stade 3 50.4573623, 4.8751844 train to Jambes Gare SNCB ☎ +32 11 45 99 00 Opening Hours: 9:30-12:00 € 25 A 11.5 kilometers run through the city, annually organized in fall. Starting on the south bank of the river in Jambes and the run takes participants along the most interesting places of Namur, including the fortress and the seat of the Walloon Government, as well as the historic center of Namur. The entrance fee includes a T-shirt with a size of choice, and refreshments alongside the road, and a breakfast upon arrival. Note: a running climb of the fortress requires above average physical condition of participants.

Study in Namur

University of Namur | Unamur - More than 6000 students.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Namur

Namur Vi4JPG - Shop with fine foods

Namur lacks a proper shopping mall. The inner city supermarkets are one Match and one (smaller) Spar.

Other supermarkets are Carrefour and Colruyt in Jambes and another Colruyt and Delhaize in Salzinnes among others. Major shopping streets stretch from the Namur train station to Rue de Fer and Rue de l'Ange where you will find normal fashion outlets like H&M, Newlook,Zara, Kim Pie,Cool Cats, O' Appels, Charles Vogele Switzerland, Esprit, JBC, C& A, Women's secret, ICL Paris IV, Di, Camaieu among others.

Halal Food

File:02-Namur-100109 (1) JPG - Le Panorama restaurant

Pâtisserie Café Dumont Opening from Monday to Saturday: 07:30—18:30 (so one could have breakfast there), Sunday 14:30—18:30 Has waffles with whipped cream and melted Chocolates that are downright decadent.

Le Panorama restaurant - Route Merveilleuse 82 50.457152, 4.859395 on the Citadel ☎ +32 81 22 28 04 Plat du jour costs under €10 Has a terrace with a great view over the city and the river and a free Wi-Fi hotspot.

Galler is a Chocolates shop-cum-café. The café is exquisitely old-fashioned and offers a wide range of hot Chocolates.

Les Thés de Sophie sells and serves speciality teas.

Café Delahaut offers a fine variety of coffees and sports a large coffee roaster outside the café.

eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to Namur

Namur - eHalal Travel Group, a leading provider of innovative Halal travel solutions for Muslim travelers to Namur, is thrilled to announce the official launch of its comprehensive Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Namur. This groundbreaking initiative aims to cater to the diverse needs of Muslim travelers, offering them a seamless and enriching travel experience in Namur and its surrounding regions.

With the steady growth of Muslim tourism worldwide, eHalal Travel Group recognizes the importance of providing Muslim travelers with accessible, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their travel aspirations to Namur. The Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide is designed to be a one-stop resource, offering an array of invaluable information on various travel aspects, all carefully curated to align with Islamic principles and values.

The Travel Guide encompasses a wide range of features that will undoubtedly enhance the travel experience for Muslim visitors to Namur. Key components include:

Halal-Friendly Accommodations inNamur: A carefully selected list of hotels, lodges, and vacation rentals that cater to halal requirements, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming stay for Muslim travelers in Namur.

Halal Food, Restaurants and Dining in Namur: A comprehensive directory of restaurants, eateries, and food outlets offering halal-certified or halal-friendly options in Namur, allowing Muslim travelers to savor local cuisines without compromising their dietary preferences in Namur.

Prayer Facilities: Information on masjids, prayer rooms, and suitable locations for daily prayers in Namur, ensuring ease and convenience for Muslim visitors in fulfilling their religious obligations.

Local Attractions: An engaging compilation of Muslim-friendly attractions, cultural sites such as Museums, and points of interest in Namur, enabling travelers to explore the city's rich heritage while adhering to their values.

Transport and Logistics: Practical guidance on transportation options that accommodate Muslim travel needs, ensuring seamless movement within Namur and beyond.

Speaking about the launch, Irwan Shah, Chief Technology Officer of eHalal Travel Group in Namur, stated, "We are thrilled to introduce our Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide in Namur, a Muslim friendly destination known for its cultural richness and historical significance. Our goal is to empower Muslim travelers with accurate information and resources, enabling them to experience the wonders of Namur without any concerns about their faith-based requirements. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to creating inclusive and memorable travel experiences for all our clients."

The eHalal Travel Group's Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Namur is now accessible on this page. The guide will be regularly updated to ensure that Muslim travelers have access to the latest information, thus reinforcing its status as a reliable companion for Muslim travelers exploring Namur.

About eHalal Travel Group:

eHalal Travel Group Namur is a prominent name in the global Muslim travel industry, dedicated to providing innovative and all-inclusive travel solutions tailored to the needs of Muslim travelers worldwide. With a commitment to excellence and inclusivity, eHalal Travel Group aims to foster a seamless travel experience for its clients while respecting their religious and cultural values.

For Halal business inquiries in Namur, please contact:

eHalal Travel Group Namur Media: info@ehalal.io

Buy Muslim Friendly condos, Houses and Villas in Namur

eHalal Group Namur is a prominent real estate company specializing in providing Muslim-friendly properties in Namur. Our mission is to cater to the specific needs and preferences of the Muslim community by offering a wide range of halal-certified residential and commercial properties, including houses, condos, and factories. With our commitment to excellence, client satisfaction, and adherence to Islamic principles, eHalal Group has established itself as a trusted name in the real estate industry in Namur.

At eHalal Group, we understand the importance of meeting the unique requirements of Muslim individuals and families seeking properties that align with their cultural and religious trainings. Our extensive portfolio of Muslim-friendly properties in Namur ensures that clients have access to a diverse selection of options tailored to their needs. Whether it's a luxurious villa, a modern condominium, or a fully equipped factory, our team is dedicated to assisting clients in finding their ideal property.

For those seeking a comfortable and modern living space, our condos are an excellent choice. Starting at US$ 350,000 and these condominium units offer contemporary designs, state-of-the-art facilities, and convenient locations within Namur. Each condo is thoughtfully designed to incorporate halal-friendly features and amenities, ensuring a seamless integration of Islamic values into everyday living.

If you are looking for a more spacious option, our houses are perfect for you. Starting at US$ 650,000, our houses provide ample living space, privacy, and a range of customizable features to meet your specific requirements. These houses are located in well-established neighborhoods in Namur, offering a harmonious balance between modern living and Islamic values.

For those seeking luxury and exclusivity, our luxury villas in Namur are the epitome of sophistication and elegance. Starting at US$ 1.5 million and these villas offer a lavish lifestyle with private amenities, breathtaking views, and meticulous attention to detail. Each luxury villa is meticulously designed to provide a serene and halal environment, allowing you to enjoy the finest living experience while adhering to your Islamic principles. For further details please email us at realestate@halal.io

Muslim Friendly Hotels

Youth Hostel - Auberge de Jeunesse - Avenue Félicien Rops 8 50.448214, 4.859323 ☎ +32 81 22 36 88 From €19 Right by the river and it has free unlimited Wi-Fi, a nice view, a good self-catering kitchen and a café. They close all common areas by 23:00, however. Guests are required to wash their own dishes after breakfast.

L'Ange Gabriel - @riel.be Avenue Baron Louis Huart 7-15 50.460085, 4.867930 ☎ +32 487 88 56 87 €60 Namur also has also a few boats in which you can spend the night. This is one of them. The boat has 4 rooms and is right below the Citadel.

Le Grill des Tanneurs - Rue des Tanneries 13 50.463992, 4.871430 ☎ +32 81 24 00 24 €60 to €215 Built inside 11 former city houses this hotel is quite luxurious and very central. This hotel has private parking. On the ground floor is a restaurant.

News & References Namur

Travel Next

Brussels — the national capital
Charleroi — the Detroit of Wallonia with a rich industrial history
Namur might also be your gateway to the Ardennes and Luxembourg.