La Louvire: Belgium Holiday

La Louvire is a modest and beautiful Walloon city located in the vicinity of Hainaut. It holds a place of importance in the Belgian country as it is has a number of coal mining ventures situated in the east west corridor.

La Louvire is bestowed with a number of mythical tags which account for the great interest that people take in this city. The legendary story of a she wolf nursing a child is the myth that gave rise to the city of Rome. The true fact of the city is as follows: it was a land infested by a huge population of wolves that outnumbered the humans and hence this place was given the name menaulu which means 'wolf's lair'. The land is a smaller part of the community of saint vast which was under the ownership of the aulene abbey. The name did not linger for long as it was changed to Latin and then to its present French name in the year 1284. The lords and province heads during those times gave free treaties to individuals to start prospecting and begin ventures that would help strengthen the city's economy. Their efforts proved successful and the city was suddenly home to a number of coal mining ventures that helped bring in substantial income and thus bolster the economy. The work was slow due to the reluctant stance the Abbey took when it came to providing funds to develop the much needed infrastructure for the venture.

The city was built during the 19th century when it received a large influx of individuals form al over the country. The roads, canals, rail network and the subsequent housing infrastructure enabled settlers to start helping with the coal business that was booming at that time. La Louvire with the steady buildup of manpower and economy surged forward and progressed at a much faster rate than saint Vaast. In a short span of fifty years La Louvire was a well known city and it was officially given its title in the year 1869. It is one of the largest cities in the Wallonia province.

There are a number of structures and places of interest in this city. The first attraction comprises of about 4 hydraulic lifts which are situated at the docks of the old canal du centre. The canal connects the Meuse River and the Scheldt and it was deemed as a heritage site by UNESCO in the year 1998.

The coal mining industry due to its importance has been given special status in this city. There are a number of lodgings and accommodations that are seen here which were used by the coal workers and now after restoration works have been converted into museums that give us an insight into the coal mining history of that period. The famous sculptor and draughtsman idel Ianchelevici has been a part of the La Louvire culture since a long time and many of his works can be seen here. La Louvire is a splendid place to visit for those looking to enjoy and spend time with nature in peaceful surroundings.