Seraing (; ) is a municipality and city in Liège Province, Wallonia, Belgium.

The municipality consists of the following districts: Boncelles, Jemeppe-sur-Meuse, Ougrée, and Seraing. With Liège, Herstal, Saint-Nicolas, Ans, and Flémalle, it forms the greater Liège agglomeration (600,000 inhabitants). South of Seraing are the Condroz and the Ardennes regions.

History

Antiquity and Middle Ages

The first mention of Saran dates from 956, when a Carolingian farming domain extending on both sides of the river Meuse and owned by someone named Saran was donated to the abbey of Sint-Truiden. The whole territory soon passed to the Prince-Bishopric of Liège.

Industrial development

thumb|left|Bridge over the [[Meuse, in 1902|240px]]

The first ironworks were founded there in 1809. John Cockerill and his brother James revolutionized the steel industry by using blast furnaces and coke instead of traditional charcoal. These inventions were the basis for the new company, John Cockerill & Cie established in Seraing in 1817.

List of mayors

  • 1977–1988: (PS)
  • 1988–1993: (PS)
  • 1994–2000: Jacques Vandebosch (PS)
  • 2000–2005: Guy Mathot (PS)
  • 2005–2006: Jacques Vandebosch (PS)
  • 2006–2018: (PS)
  • 2018–2023: (PS)
  • 2023–present: (PS)

Sights

thumb|[[Val-Saint-Lambert Abbey]]

  • The Val Saint Lambert crystal factory site includes the old Val-Saint-Lambert Abbey

Notable people

thumb|upright|[[John Cockerill (industrialist)|John Cockerill statue and tomb]]

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  • John Cockerill, British entrepreneur and founder of the Cockerill-Sambre steel company (1790–1840)
  • Eugenio Barsanti, Italian inventor of the internal combustion engine (1821–1864)
  • Leo Anton Karl de Ball, astronomer (1853–1916)
  • Julien Lahaut, communist (1884–1950)
  • Louis-Clément Picalausa, Scout novelist (1898–1969)
  • , (1901–1922)
  • André Renard (Secretary-General of the General Federation of Belgian Labour and leader of the 60-61 General Strike) (1911–1962)
  • Christian Piot, football goalkeeper (b. 1947)
  • Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, filmmakers (b. 1951 and 1954, resp.)
  • Laurette Onkelinx, politician (b. 1958)
  • Michel Preud'homme, football goalkeeper (b. 1959)
  • Gilbert Bodart, football coach (b. 1962)
  • Marc Tarabella, politician (b. 1963)
  • Fabrizio Cassol, saxophone and aulochrome player (b. 1964)
  • Marc Laho, opera singer (b. 1965)
  • , politician (b. 1972)
  • Michaël Goossens, football striker (b. 1973)
  • Viktor Klonaridis, football player (b. 1992)
  • John Wartique, racing driver (b. 1990)

International relations

Twin towns—Sister cities

Seraing is twinned with:

  • : Douai
  • : Rimini
  • : Châtel

See also

  • Liège Science Park
  • The Dardenne brothers' films L'Enfant and Deux jours, une nuit

References

  • Postcards and old photographs of Seraing
  • Steel mill in Seraing