Signal de Botrange

Baltia hill on the Botrange

The Botrange in the municipality of Weismes in the East Belgian province of Liège is 694.24 m OP the highest point in Belgium, located in the High Fens. The there heaped up Baltia hill ( after the Belgian Lieutenant-General and Governor-General for the East Cantons, Baron Herman Baltia named) should bring Belgium's highest point at about 700 m altitude.

Name

The name Botrange, formerly called Bodringen or Baldringen instead of Sicco Campo, rejects in the past. Germanic "soon", Old French " builds " it means " brave " and " bold ". Baldringen was thus seat of Baldur the Brave and Bold.

Geographical location

The Botrange is within the High Fens in the High Fens -Eifel. It is located between Sourbrodt, in the municipality of Weismes, in the south-southeast, and the nucleus of the community Jalhay, in the northwest. The villages are connected by roads leading on the collection.

History

From 1815 to 1920, the limit was further north to Belgium at Baraque Michel. At that time belonged to the Botrange Prussia and the Rhine Province. In Prussian maps its height is given as 692 m, 2 m less than Belgian height information. This results from the fact that the Prussians their heights from Amsterdam Peil ableiteten, Belgium, however, by a direction finding in Ostend. At this time Baraque Michel was the highest point of Belgium.

The peak of the 1933/34, built by François Fagnoul from Ovifat on the Botrange tower crowned until the Second World War ( 1939-1945), a steel weather vane with the recessed names SICCO CAMPO - on dry place. Meanwhile, the spire serves as a transmitter and reaches a height of 718 m factual.

In November 2013, agreement was reached on the Botrange to build a 50 meter high tower with parabolic antennas to improve the exchange of data between the stock exchanges in London and Frankfurt.

Attractions

About a kilometer south below the Botrange is the Botrange Nature Centre to regional with changing exhibitions and nature themes, as well as a permanent exhibition. Less than 3 km north- west is Baraque Michel (hostel, about 674 m) with a few hundred meters south of it are Chapel Fischbach.