Fort de Loncin

About the museum

Fort de Loncin is part of the Liège fortified ring, built from 1888 to designs by General Brialmont. Located south-west of the city, it blocked the route to Brussels along the main road and the railway line. In August 1914 its garrison numbered 550 men, including 350 artillerymen. Engaged from 7 August, it became the headquarters of General Leman, governor of the fortress, and over eight days it received around 15,000 shells.

To overcome it, the German army used a 420 mm howitzer. On 15 August 1914, at around 17:20, the twenty-fifth shell pierced the vault of a powder magazine still holding 12,000 kg of powder. The explosion destroyed much of the fort and buried 350 men, who still lie beneath the ruins. The site is now a national necropolis. Loncin is the only fort in the ring to have kept its 1914 armament.

The visit combines a museum of models and collection pieces (uniformed mannequins, period weapons, personal items found in the rubble) with a scenographic route, partly co-financed by European funds, retracing the tragedy of August 1914. A crypt pays tribute to the defenders. The association Front de Sauvegarde du Fort de Loncin supports the preservation of the site.

Highlights

• National necropolis on the ruins of the powder magazine destroyed in 1914
• Scenographic route on the tragedy of 15 August 1914
• Museum with models, weapons and personal items
• Audio guide in French, Dutch, English and German
• The only fort in the ring to have kept its 1914 armament
• Sunday guided tour on the Resistance and the demining of the fort

Permanent exhibitions

• Le musée du fort – Models and collection pieces: uniformed mannequins, period weapons and personal items found in the rubble.
• Le parcours scénographique – Route through the fort, partly funded by European funds, placing the tragedy the fort suffered in August 1914 in its historical context.
• Expositions permanentes de la visite guidée – The Resistance, the demining of the fort in 2007, a British Flying Fortress that came down near the fort in 1943, prisoners of war, the fort's steam engine and the base of a 12 cm cupola.

Admission & discounts

Prices for visiting the fort with the audio guide and the museum.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Car park in the immediate vicinity; some parts of the fort have stairs and are not accessible to wheelchair users. Animals and assistance dogs are welcome.

Kids & families

Child rate for ages 7 to 12, free under 7. An educational pack is offered to schools.

Getting there & parking

The fort holds the “Bienvenue vélo” label.

Amenities & dining

A list of nearby food and drink partners is available on the website (PDF).

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit