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Wéris
 General.
The quiet and charming village of Wéris, part of the community
of Durbuy, is located in
the border area between Famenne, Condroz and Ardennes.
This village is listed as one of the most beautiful villages of
Wallonia
(Les Plus Beaux Villages de Wallonie). Due to its natural
environment and quietness, it is a popular destination for
hiking. The village is surrounded by agricultural land and
woodlands. In the center you can find old houses built
with natural stones and some with half-timbered parts but it is
mainly known for its megalitic structures that were erected in
the immediate area some 5000 years ago.
Just like nearby Durbuy, it attracts
quite a bit of
visitors from Flanders and the Netherlands; on busy days you
hear more Dutch in the streets than French. This being
said, English speaking visitors should not despair because all
information signs are also in English and you will be assisted in
your language with a smile.
 Belgian
center for menhirs and dolmen.
This region has been
inhabited since longtime. Evidence of this is found
through the prehistoric megalitic structures that can be found
in the immediate surroundings of the village. They were
erected by the then inhabitants some 5000 years ago (neolithicum
- new stone age) in the so-called puddingstone that can be found
locally. This puddingstone is actually a composite of
smaller stones and clay that has been pressed together by
pressure in the earth's crust. The result is some kind of
natural concrete. It should be no surprise that the dolmen
and menhirs that were erected here have become the subject of
many tales and legends. The dolmen were burial monuments;
the deceased was laid to rest in a space that was made by big
flat stones that were put on eachother. It is possible
that this construction was additionally covered with earth.
During excavations, interesting remains and artefacts were found
to help us to get an idea on how life was five millennia ago.
To discover: the dolmen of Wéris, the
menhir Danthine, the dolmen of Oppagne, the menhirs of Oppagne,
the menhir of Morville, the Haina rock and the Devil's bed.
There is also a puddingstone quarry. These monuments make
that Wéris is the most important finding ground of neolithic
relics in Belgium. There is a hiking trail that connects
them.
 House
of the megaliths.
The house of the megaliths is an information center about the
prehistorc monuments that can be found in the region. In
the small museum that is incorporated in the house you can find
out how people may have lived here some 5000 years ago and how
it was possible at that time that people displaced such giant
stones to make those huge burial monuments. There is a
small exhibition of artefacts that were found during the
excavations and informative video. Here you can also find
information on other sights in the area and on the different
possible hiking trails.
 Romanesque
Saint-Walburgachurch.
The church of Wéris demonstrates that beauty and simplicity can
perfectly go hand in hand. The church was erected around
1030 and is as such one of the oldest buildings in the region.
She was constructed with puddingstone, limestone and sandstone.
The architectural style is romanesque, which is characterized by
its simplicity in design. Throughout the centuries
adaptations have been done in the style that was in fashion at
that time. This explains why you can also distinguish
gothic elements in the church.
 One
of the most beautiful villages of Wallonia. Wéris
has been listed as one of the most beautiful villages of the
Walloon region. In the center you can see several old
houses and farmsteads. Most of them have been constructed
with natural stones and some of them still have half-timbered
elements. Other sights in the village: a castle farm
dating back to the 17th century, a water well with a cast-iron
pump, a half-timbered baking over.
How to
reach
Wéris? Own transport is actually the only option.
Tours &
info. Information on the village and the sights in
and around the village can be found at the house of the
megaliths, Place Arsène Soreil 7.
Links.
- Tourist office Pays d'Ourthe et Aisne:
www.ourthe-et-aisne.be
- Tourist office Durbuy:
www.durbuyinfo.be/index.php/en/
- House of the Megaliths:
www.weris-info.be
Picture 1: old houses in the center
of Wéris
Picture 2: the dolmen of Wéris, just outside the center
Picture 3: reconstruction of how dolmen were constructed (on
display in the museum)
Picture 4: the Saint-Walburgachurch
Picture 5: old farmstead with behind it the tower of the church
Picture 6: pottery from the Stone Age
Picture 7: partially half-timbered farm
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