CENTRAL AND EASTERN FLANDERS 169The stately Alden Biesen castle, former headquarters of the German Order of the Teutonic Knights
land holdings. Alden Biesen,
as the regional headquarters,
or landcommanderij, was
an expression of this wealth,
until the order was evicted
in 1795 by the armies of the
French Revolution. It then
became a private resi dence.
In 1971, the main part, called
the Water Castle, was gutted
by fire. Although it has been
restored, little of the original
interior has survived. Today,
the castle is used pri marily
as a cultural centre by the
Flemish community, host ing
concerts and exhibitions. The
castle com plex also offers a
perma nent display about its
history, a formal French garden
and beautiful parkland.
Tongeren j
10 km (6 miles) SW of Alden Biesen.
Road Map E2. * 30,000. £ @
n Via Julianus 5; (012) 800070.
( Sun. http://www.tongeren.be
Tournai (see pp180–84) and
Tongeren both claim to be
Belgium’s oldest town due
to their Roman origins. This
heritage is seen in Tongeren’s
Gallo-Romeins Museum, built
on the site of a Roman villa.
It contains an extensive
collection of artifacts and
sculptures, extending up to
the Middle Ages, from the pre-
historic era to the Middle Ages.
Tongeren evolved into a
prosperous medieval trading
centre, as can be seen in the
existing traces of its city walls,
such as the Moerenpoort, a
14th-century city gate. Today,
the Begijnhof nearby is a
pretty area to wander in. The
town is also famous for its
huge antiques market.
Ano ther landmark, the
Onze-Lieve-Vrouwebasiliek,
stands on the site of a 4th-
century church. The current
basilica was built between
the 11th and 16th cen turies.
Its high and elegant Gothic
interior is rich in statues and
paintings, while the organ
loft is a superb example of
Baroque extra vagance. It
is famous for a miraculous
statue, in painted wood, of
Our Lady of Tongeren. This
statue, dating from 1476,
is the focal point of the
7-yearly Kroningsfeesten, or
Coronation Festival (see p33),
attended by what is said to be
the biggest procession in theAMBIORIX AND “THE BRAVEST OF THE GAULS”
The leader of a Belgic tribe called the Eburones,
Ambiorix is famous for mounting a fierce cam-
paign against the Romans, who had conquered
the area in 57 BC. Three years later, they
wanted provisions from the Eburones to
feed their troops. Ambiorix, who had gained
the con fidence of the Roman leaders, warned
them that a massive army of Germanic tribes
was on its way and per suaded them to retreat.
As the Romans did so, the Eburones swooped
down and massacred them. Julius Caesar decided
to reap his revenge personally, and in the
resulting campaign he crushed the Belgae
com pletely. For his part, Ambiorix vanished
along with his troops. These events inspired
Caesar to record that “of all the Gauls, the
Belgae are the bravest”. Today, a 19th-century statue of
Ambiorix stands in the Grote Markt of Tongeren.country. The church treasury
contains more early wooden
sculpture, includ ing a vividly
expressive head of Christ, as
well as impressively bejewel-
led chalices and reliquaries.
The Haspengouw region
surrounding Tongeren is
celebrated for its bountiful
farms and orchards and the
appealing hoevetoerisme, or
farmhouse accommodation
(see p252) that showcases the
area’s charming rural assets.E Gallo-Romeins Museum
Kielenstraat 15. Tel (012) 670330.
# 9am–5pm Tue–Fri, 10am–6pm
Sat–Sun. & - = http://www.
galloromeinsmuseum.be
R Onze-Lieve-Vrouwebasiliek
Stadhuisplein. # May–Mar:
9am–5pm daily (basilica); Apr–Sep:
10am–noon and 1:30–5pm Tue–
Sun, 1:30–5pm Mon (treasury). &Ambiorix of
the Eburones