Archéoforum

The Archéoforum, nine thousand years beneath your feet

The Liège audio-guided tour brings you to the entrance of the Archéoforum, right beneath Place Saint-Lambert, in the very heart of the old town. Behind these doors begins an underground journey from prehistory to the eighteenth century, across a vast space of nearly four thousand square metres.

A museum born of an excavation

Opened in 2003, the Archéoforum grew out of the major excavations carried out beneath Place Saint-Lambert. The site revealed traces of the region's first inhabitants, the remains of a Gallo-Roman villa and, above all, the foundations of the former Gothic cathedral of Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Lambert, destroyed during the Revolution. Preserving and displaying these stacked layers made it possible to tell nine millennia of history in a single place.

What there is to see

Going down, you first discover the remains of a Gallo-Roman villa and its clever underfloor heating system, the hypocaust. Further on appear the monumental foundations of the vanished cathedral. Thanks to walkways, explanatory panels and digital tools such as augmented reality, you can picture these now-invisible monuments and relive the history of Liège directly beneath the city.

Practical information

The Archéoforum lies beneath Place Saint-Lambert, in central Liège. The visit takes place underground, on walkways; opening times and access conditions may vary with the season and the exhibitions. It is best to check the opening days before going.

What can you see at the Archéoforum?

You discover remains spanning prehistory to the eighteenth century: traces of the first inhabitants, a Gallo-Roman villa with its hypocaust, and the foundations of the former cathedral of Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Lambert.

Is the site suitable for everyone?

The visit takes place underground, on fitted walkways. Access conditions for people with reduced mobility may vary; it is advisable to enquire with the site before visiting.