Discover Tongeren: Roman History and Medieval Heritage

Tongeren combines its Roman past, medieval urban history and the natural landscapes of the Jeker Valley to create a varied travel destination. Families travelling with children can plan playful discoveries, while culture and nature can be experienced in different proportions. A holiday apartment or holiday home in Tongeren provides a suitable base if you want to organise your days around your own priorities.

Experience Roman history at first hand

The Gallo-Roman Museum takes visitors through the history of the people in the Limburg region: the permanent exhibition spans the period from prehistoric times to the end of the Roman era. It features 2,000 atmospherically illuminated objects, as well as lifelike figures, animations, models and educational films. The collection comprises objects made, worked and used by people from prehistoric times, the Roman era and the early Middle Ages. It traces the successive societies of the region from 500,000 years ago to AD 900.

For families, the child-friendly audio tour with archaeologist Bob de Graver offers a special way to explore the exhibition. He guides children to particularly interesting objects. This allows a museum visit to be geared more towards curious young visitors, while adults can take in the historical connections at their own pace. Tongeren railway station is a ten-minute walk from the Gallo-Roman Museum, making it a clear reference point for arriving by train.

Beguinage, Basilica and City Gate

Historic Tongeren showcases its past not only in the museum. The beguinage was founded in the mid-13th century near the Jeker as a miniature city within the city. The Begijnhofmuseum Beghina is located in an authentic beguine house dating from 1660. Those interested in everyday history and historic urban structures can combine these two aspects without limiting themselves to a single era.

The Gothic tower of the Basilica of Our Lady defines Tongeren and the surrounding area. Its treasury contains religious works of art dating from the 6th through the 19th century, inclusive. The basilica also has a Romanesque cloister from the 12th century, considered a rare example of Romanesque architecture in Belgium. In the treasury, the Teseum offers an educational guided tour or an interactive search with a multimedia guide. It also provides access to the rooms in the basilica tower and to the carillon with its 49 bells.

The Moerenpoort is Tongeren’s only completely preserved medieval city gate. There, a family-friendly discovery trail playfully transports visitors back to medieval Tongeren. This creates a different approach to the city’s history than the museum: children can engage with it through a tangible discovery, while adults can view the preserved historic structure.

Nature and Special Market Days

As a contrast to its rich cultural history, the De Kevie nature reserve offers a landscape in the Jeker Valley near Tongeren’s city centre. The area enjoys European protection and comprises a mosaic of wet hay meadows, marshes and valley forests. If you want to combine nature and urban history on your trip, De Kevie is one of the independent experiences you can take into account when planning your days.

The Tongeren Antique Market is a special day-trip destination. It takes place every Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. near the medieval city walls. There are more than 200 stallholders and around 30 renowned antique shops. This gives Sunday its own character and particularly appeals to visitors who want to combine historic objects, trade and the atmosphere of the city.

Which accommodation suits your trip?

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home, you can first decide which activity will shape the timing of your trip. For a culture-focused stay, the museum, basilica, Teseum and beguinage provide clear points of reference. Those reserving Sunday for the Antique Market will plan their trip differently from visitors who mainly want to get to know Tongeren through its natural areas and historic urban spaces.

You can also discover other places in the same region: Bilzen, Horpmaal, Houthalen-Helchteren, Voeren, Heers, Ham, Meeuwen-Gruitrode and Riemst.

For the higher-level travel overview: Limburg.