CITY OF SCIENCE AND BLAST FURNACES

Cité des Sciences and blast furnaces A and B.

For lovers of history, architecture, urban planning and design, the Cité des Sciences in the area around the Belval blast furnaces is a must-see destination. The buildings designed by renowned architects and the contemporary facilities engage in a fascinating dialogue with the preserved industrial remains. The Cité des Sciences, de la Recherche et de l'Innovation (City of Science, Research and Innovation) comprises some twenty buildings for the University of Luxembourg and public research centers, as well as socio-cultural infrastructure, housing and administrative facilities. The buildings are constructed and managed by the Fonds Belval, a public establishment created in 2002. Since the opening of the blast furnace area in 2014, the site has also had a tourist and cultural vocation.

Discover this exceptional site by visiting the exhibition at the Massenoire building and the blast furnaces, taking part in a guided tour or strolling freely through the neighborhood. You'll meet university students, researchers and residents of the new residences.

Visit blast furnace A.

The Belval blast furnaces, an industrial heritage site of great symbolic value, have been preserved in a unique concept within the Cité des Sciences. Dating from 1965 and 1970, the remains of the two blast furnaces bear witness to the Trente Glorieuses, the years of economic boom after the Second World War. Placed at the center of the new urban district, the blast furnaces are a popular venue for cultural and social events in Belval.

Blast furnace A is open to the public for both unaccompanied and guided tours. On a signposted tour, visitors will find information panels explaining how the blast furnace works, the steel production process and the economic issues involved. The tour begins at Möllerei, where iron ore and coke were stored. The only high point in Belval accessible to the public, the climb to the blast furnace is highly recommended, even if it takes a bit of courage and a good breath of fresh air (there are 180 steps in all!). The 40 m-high blast furnace platform affords breathtaking views of Belval and the surrounding area. To learn more about the history of the site and the work of the steelworkers, a guided tour is recommended.