Seraing

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Seraing is a Walloon town in the district of Liege in the homonymous province, southwest of the city of Liege. Seraing is located along the Meuse River and the railway line Liège- Namur, but has no passenger station.

History

Seraing was first mentioned on March 9, 956, as a farm with Saran (or Saring ) is named as the owner of that area. However, findings showed that were made in a sewer in 1830 that the area has been inhabited since the 5th or 6th century. The area later passed into the possession of the church of Liege. Over time, various orthographies find for the place name, so Serang ( 1147 ), Serayng ( 1151 ), Sereng ( 1246) Serangne ​​( 1298 ) and Serey ( 1598 ) until the 17th and 18th century Seraing and also Serain naturalized. By order of the municipal council of December 23, 1800 Seraing was chosen as the official city name.

In the Middle Ages had become known coal reserves in Jemeppe -sur -Meuse in close proximity to the other bank of the Meuse. Thus, the coal had not transported by barge on the Meuse, was allowed to build a bridge already in 1381.

The former episcopal palace at Seraing was the summer residence of the prince-bishops of Liège. Became internationally known Seraing by the steel mills and machine tool factories of Cockerill -Sambre, founded by John Cockerill. As one of the key industrial sites in Belgium living in 1888 already 31,398 people in Seraing. In 1820 there were only 2,000.

In Seraing Eugenio Barsanti built around 1860 his engine.

All films of the brothers Jean -Pierre and Luc Dardenne until 2005 to play in their hometown of Seraing.

Policy

Mayor of the city is Alain Mathot. The City Council consists of 39 members.

Infrastructure

In 1977, the neighboring municipalities Ougrée, Jemeppe -sur -Meuse and Boncelles were incorporated.

Seraing is today particularly interesting because it is still an industrial city like a hundred years ago, ie Industrial and residential areas are located immediately next to each other, whereas in most of the old industrial cities of the industrial areas have migrated to the suburbs. The actual city center is therefore very small and surrounded by steel mills. The south of the town center district have some still retains its character - its market places, business centers, etc.

To the south is a wooded area, where the air is remarkably good, which is evident from the fact that lichens are often found on the trees - lichens grow only with relatively clean air.

Highway access is by the A604.

Attractions

• In Seraing there was the Cistercian monastery of Val -St- Lambert. On the grounds there is also the new Abtsresidenz in which a crystal factory was housed since 1826. Today, a crystal museum.

• The Cockerill castle was the former summer residence of the prince-bishops of Liège. At the time of Napoleon it was a hospital for the troops, and later an ammunition dump, until it came into the hands of the industrialist family Cockerill 1817.
• The main church was consecrated in 1713
• The town hall dates from the year 1867.

Twinning

The city has entered into partnerships with

• France Douai in the French region of Nord -Pas -de -Calais, since 1964, originally partnership of the then independent municipality Jemeppe
• Italy Rimini in the Italian region Emilia -Romagna, since 1974
• France Châtel in the French region of Rhône- Alpes, since 2001
• Spain Linares, Spain

Personalities

• Grogna Louis (1879-1940), racing cyclist
• Jean -Pierre Dardenne (* April 21, 1951 at Engis, raised in Seraing ), film director, film producer and screenwriter
• Rudy Lenners ( born 1952 ), musician, drummer of the Scorpions
• Luc Dardenne ( born March 10, 1954 in Awirs, raised in Seraing ), film director, film producer and screenwriter
• Sal La Rocca ( ​​born 1961 ), jazz musician
• Marc Tarabella (* 1963), Walloon politicians ( Parti Socialiste )
• Michaël Goossens (born 1973 ), football player