| Ardennes | |
 | |
Location  | |
| State | Belgium |
|---|---|
| Tourism site | |
Ardennes is a tourist region Belgium eastern and including part of the territories of the provinces of Namour, Liege is Luxembourg.
To know
The Ardennes is a hilly forested region found mainly in Belgium and Luxembourg, but extending all the way into France (giving the name to the region of the Champagne-Ardenne).
The region takes its name from the ancient Arduenna Silva, a vast forest that in Roman times stretched from the Sambre River in Belgium to the Rhine in Germany. The modern Ardennes cover a much smaller area.
Geographical notes
Much of the Ardennes is covered by dense forests, with hills averaging 350-500m high, but reaching up to 694m (Signal de Botrange) in the moors of the Hautes Fagnes (Hohes Venn) region in north-eastern Belgium . The region is characterized by deep valleys carved by rivers, the most important of which is the Meuse. Its main cities, Liège and Namur, are both in the Meuse valley. The Ardennes are otherwise sparsely populated.
The Eifel range in Germany joins the Ardennes and is part of the same geological formation.
Background
The highly strategic location of the Ardennes made them a battleground of European powers for centuries. The region repeatedly changed hands during the early modern period, when all or part of the Belgian Ardennes were at different times incorporated into France, Germany, Spanish Netherlands or United Kingdom of the Netherlands. In the 20th century, the Ardennes were considered unsuitable for large-scale military operations due to difficult terrain and narrow communication routes. However, both in WWI and WWII, Germany successfully bet on making quick passes through the Ardennes to attack poorly defended areas of France. The Ardennes were the scene of three major battles during the two world wars - the Battle of the Ardennes proper in World War I, the Battle of France and the Ardennes Offensive during the second. Many towns and villages in the region were severely damaged during the two conflicts.
Territories and tourist destinations
Urban centers
- Bastogne
- Bouillon
- Durbuy
- Eupen - With the nearby park of Hautes Fagnes Park.
- Han-sur-Lesse
- Robertville - On the lake of the same name.
- Spa
