Tongeren: Visit Tongeren-Borgloon

Tongeren — the first and oldest city in Belgium. Founded by the Romans around 10 BC, it was burned down by the Batavians half a century later, only to rise again, proudly rebuilt. Tongeren became the illustrious capital of the civitas Tungrorum, the administrative district of the region, where the Mediterranean influence of Rome was undeniable: a flourishing villa landscape, a magnificent aqueduct, grand temples and bathhouses, and markets brimming with exotic goods.

Even today, the Romans are never far away in Tongeren-Borgloon. Most hotspots are just minutes apart, neatly linked by the Roman city walk. To discover more about this walk, routes, events, and accommodations in Tongeren, the tourist information centre Visit Tongeren-Borgloon will be a valuable stop on your journey.

Visit Tongeren-Borgloon

In the historic centre of Tongeren, close to the basilica and the Gallo-Roman Museum, you will find the tourist information centre, housed in the historic Gasthuiskapel. This gateway to the region offers visitors a clear overview of everything Tongeren and Borgloon have to offer, with special attention to the rich Roman past.

Visitors can find practical information here about routes, accommodations, and events, as well as thematic perspectives directly linked to the Roman history of the region. From the information centre, you are directed to the main Roman sites: the evocation of the monumental Roman temple, the impressive Beukenberg with its aqueduct, the tumuli of Koninksem and Lauw, and the protected Herstappel Tomb. The villa landscapes of Borgloon, with landmarks in Jesseren and Broekom, are also presented as tangible reminders of the Roman agricultural structures that shaped Haspengouw for centuries. All these fascinating sites can also be searched on the VIA VIA-website through the interactive map.

The centre serves as the starting point for thematic walking and cycling routes that connect town and countryside. Through brochures and personal advice, visitors are invited to discover the interconnection between Tongeren and its hinterland.

Of particular note are several unique art objects on display, as well as 3D films and reconstructions about the city’s Roman past!

An Immersive Change to the Roman Walk, 2027

The story of Tongeren doesn’t end there. In 2027, the Roman city walk will receive a multidimensional upgrade as part of the VIA VIA project. The Roman hotspots on it will be enhanced with reconstructions and immersive storytelling. You will get an even clearer sense of the Roman road and the Roman city of Tongeren, and you will also be invited to visit the aqueduct, the Plinius springs, the Gallo-Roman temple, and other local sites. Through an app, you will see what the streets of Atuatuca Tungrorum, the capital that is now Tongeren, looked like in the second century. Your guide? An AI character from the glory days of Roman Tongeren.

Are you ready for a stroll through the past?

“We cross a modern aqueduct and reach the edge of the city. Atuatuca Tungrorum. I have dreamed of visiting the only city in the region for so long. It does not disappoint. So many colours and scents. So many sounds. Barking dogs, shouting people, the rattling carts of traders like us. The streets overflow with delights. The finest fabrics. Exotic fruits and woods. Bottles and flasks. Oil from the south. Meat, bread, and perfumes. Two women argue loudly in a language I do not understand. Men in open doorways beckon passers-by inside. The sweet aroma of a bathhouse mingles with the stench of boiling animal bones for glue. I am ecstatic and despondent at the same time. For how can we sell our wares in this place? Here, in this city that already has everything?” – Ammulva Iucunda