Location: Mons
Top Things to do in Mons
The 9 Best Free Things to do in Mons, Wallonia
Located 35 miles south of Brussels, military buffs will find a rich history in Mons, the capital of the Province of Hainaut. British and German troops occupied Mons in 1914 during World War I, yet the city also has ruins dating back to the ancient Romans. Must-sees in Mons, include its Gothic style townhall; The Belfry, a World Heritage UNESCO site; The Collegiate Church of Sainte-Waudru, and the Decorative Arts Museum François Duesberg with its unique and prestigious clock collection. Van Gogh even lived in Mons for a time, and Van Gogh’s house is preserved and open to the public.
Restaurants in Mons
1. St Symphorien Military Cemetery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 308 reviews
St. Symphorien Military Cemetery is located 2 Kms east of Mons on the N90 a road leading to Charleroi. On reaching St. Symphorien the right hand turning from the N90 leads onto the Rue Nestor Dehon. The cemetery lies 200 metres along the Rue Nestor Dehon. GPS Co-ordinates: Longitude 04°00'38", Latitude 50°25'57" The cemetery at St. Symphorien was established by the German Army during the First World War as a final resting place for British and German soldiers killed at the Battle of Mons. Among those buried here is Private John Parr of the Middlesex Regiment, who was fatally wounded during an encounter with a German patrol two days before the battle, thus becoming the first British soldier to be killed in action on the Western Front.
Reviewed By arnaud_dhaen - Antwerp, Belgium
War cemeteries can be overwhelming in size. Numerous graves next to each other to left to the right and in front of you. Not in this garden. Enemies of the Great War rest in a peaceful setting as if they are communicating with each other. The setting and scenery is so peaceful and different. A must visit...
2. Collegiale Sainte-Waudru
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 508 reviews
Reviewed By macedonboy - Glasgow, United Kingdom
The Saint Waltrude Collegiate Church is the magnificent building of Mons. Even from the outside, one can see the church is of Gothic design, although the southern section is covered in scaffolding due to restoration work. The Gothic design is much more obvious from the inside with straight lines of incredible height. Part of that is down to the hardness of the stone used and even now looks so solid. As you can guess from the name, the church is named in honour of Saint Waltrude, whose shrine and reliquary can also be found inside. Her head can be found in the chapel dedicated to her and the reliquary containing her body is held above the high altar for all to see. The church also has some chapels with important sculptures and paintings such as those by Jacques du Broeucq and Peter Paul Rubens. The chapel of Saint Peter is unexpected as it has a wooden sculpture of death to symbolically represent the passage of time, as well as an alabaster sculpture of Jesus symbolically handing over the keys of heaven to Peter. There's also a free downloadable audio guide, which is good enough to help you understand the history of the church as well as giving good commenter on all the chapels.
3. Eglise Saint-Nicolas-en-Havre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 30 reviews
Reviewed By SandyD867
Beautiful church!! Enjoyed being able to attend Mass, take in the beauty of the church. I love Catholic Churches that teach even there isn't Mass...
4. Hotel de ville
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 53 reviews
Reviewed By belgianguy1 - Bruges, Belgium
This historic city hall dominates the main square, beautiful architecture, I was very impressed...all in all an interesting town to visit, though less known
5. Grand Place
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,098 reviews
Reviewed By gregorg916 - Nimy, Belgium
Nice place, many restaurants, interesting water fountain; chill out and watch the many weddings occurring on Saturdays. Whichever Restaurant you chose, you will never regret having spent time at the grand place of Mons.
6. Eglise Sainte-Elisabeth
7. Le singe du Grand' Garde
8. Parc du Waux-Hall
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 34 reviews
Reviewed By ismailcidem - Ankara, Turkey
Enjoyable, there is a small pool and play ground for kids in it. Some trees, path ways for walking. Also its good for picnic.
