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View of Dinant from the MeuseSource: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dinant_JPG01.jpg
Author: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT
Dinant is a city in the French-speaking Wallonia region of Belgium. Located on the Meuse River, Dinant is in the province of Namur. The city is close to the border with France. It covers 99.8 sq km and has a population of 13,000. It observes the Central European Time Zone (UTC+1) and in summer the Central European Summer Time (UTC+2).
Visitors to Dinant will not fail to notice its most prominent landmark, the Collegiate Chruch of Notre-Dame, built in the Gothic style. The people in Dinant predominantly speak French. Among the local delicacies include Flamiche, a local version of quiche, and couque, a honey-sweetened cookie.
Abbaye Notre-Dame de Leffe, DinantSource: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leffe,Abbaye_%28batiment_principal%29.JPG
Author: Grentidez
As with many of the cities in Europe, Dinant has a history going back over a thousand years. In fact the area was inhabited since Neolithic times. Various Celtic tribes also lived there before the Romans took over control. The town of Dinant was first mentioned in the 7th century, when Saint Perpete founded the church of Saint Vincent there.
The city of Dinant has suffered for its location on the River Meuse. Often it was pillaged and burned, and in the 16th and 17th century, was caught in the war that raged between Spain and France, despite trying to remain neutral. French forces occupied Dinant in 1675 while Austrians in the 18th century. In 1795, the Bishopric of Liège, with Dinant along with it, was ceded to France. In the First World War, 674 of its people were executed by the German Army - the biggest massacre committed by the Germans in 1914.
Today Dinant is a modern, prosperous city - mean annual income stood at €10,529 in 2003, a far cry from the war days. It has a number of historic sights that have been preserved and are today tourist attractions.
Meuse Riverbank, DinantSource: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dinant_Meuse_R01.jpg
Author: Marc Ryckaert
Visiting Dinant
Take a train from Brussels. The journey takes an hour and 30 minutes. Dinant Railway Station is in the city center, a short distance from the river.
L'église de la Nativité de Notre-Dame in DinantSource: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Foy-Notre-Dame_JPG01.jpg
Author: Jean-Pol Grandmont (Private Collection)
Places of Interest in Dinant
- Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame
The most prominent landmark of Dinant from the river, this Gothic-style church was rebuilt after being destroyed by falling rocks in 1227. It houses two paintings by local-born macabre-Romantic painter Antoine Wiertz. - Citadelle
Fortification located on top of a mount overlooking the city, and reached by cable car. - Musée de la Leffe
Brewery museum located opposite the old Abbaye de Leffe. - Rocher Bayard
Rock formations to the south of town. According to myth, the rocks were split by the hoofs of Bayard, a legendary giant horse.
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