Hauts fourneaux de Belval (Altos-fornos de Belval)

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About Hauts fourneaux de Belval (Altos-fornos de Belval)

The Belval plant, on the outskirts of Esch-sur-Alzette, was for almost a century one of the centres of Luxembourg's steel industry. The blast furnaces turned the minette— the region's iron ore— into pig iron, which was sent to the steelworks. Iron production in the blast furnaces ended at the end of the 20th century, and the plant area became a new neighbourhood.

Two of the blast furnaces, A and B, were preserved as monuments within the district, surrounded by the buildings of the Universidade de Luxemburgo, research centres, the Rockhal concert hall and offices. The steel structures, with pipes, ladders and walkways, contrast with the glass buildings around them.

Blast furnace A is open to visitors, either self-guided or with a guide. The route explains how the furnace worked and the workers' lives, and stairs and a lift take you up to the high platform, from where you can see Belval, Esch, the old mines and, on clear days, the border with France. At the foot of the furnaces, the Cité des Sciences, a science outreach centre, hosts exhibitions.

The area around the furnaces has open squares and walkways, and at night the structures are illuminated.