Euroregional Industrial Heritage in mining
Beringen-Blegny
The Euroregion has a common history, namely the mining industry. On the one hand, in the industrial era, mining was an important driver of economy and social development in the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion. On the other hand, after the implosion of the mining industry, every sub-region went through its own process of deindustrialization and reconversion. The mark left by the mining history on the Euroregion in just a brief time can hardly be overestimated, both in social-economics terms and in terms of its spatial landscape. Mining history is much more than a mere footnote in the history of modernisation.
The focus of this visit will be on two major mining sites in Beringen and Blegny.
Blegny was awarded World Heritage status in July 2012. Located between Liège and Maastricht, Blegny-Mine is one of the four authentic coal mines in Europe with underground galleries accessible for the visitors through the original shaft. Equiped with a jacket and a helmet, take the mining cage down to the galleries situated - 30 and - 60 metres bellow the ground level to understand how coal was extracted.
Find out all about the fascinating lives of the miners and their though working conditions. See the technical equipment underground, the coal, the noisy machinery, ...
Beringen is the largest industrial heritage site in Flanders and redesignated as a touristic project. In this unique and uncluttered mining site the best preserved mining buildings in Europe are preserved.
Program
Guide: Jean Bruijnzeels
Date: 29th August
08.30 Departure Maasboulevard ((Hoeg Brök) by bus
08.30 Maastricht-> Beringen
09.30 Arrival Be-mine
09.30 Guided Tour
11.30 Visit Museum, coffee/tea
12.45 Lunch Beringen
13.45 Beringen – Blegny via Cheratte
15.00 Arrival Mine Blegny
15.00 Guided tour Mine Blegny
16.45 Blegny-Maastricht
17.15 Arrival in Maastricht