Seraing (; ) is a municipality and city in Liège Province, Wallonia, Belgium.
The municipality consists of the following districts: Boncelles, Jemeppe-sur-Meuse, Ougrée, and Seraing. With Liège, Herstal, Saint-Nicolas, Ans, and Flémalle, it forms the greater Liège agglomeration (600,000 inhabitants). South of Seraing are the Condroz and the Ardennes regions.
History
Antiquity and Middle Ages
The first mention of Saran dates from 956, when a Carolingian farming domain extending on both sides of the river Meuse and owned by someone named Saran was donated to the abbey of Sint-Truiden. The whole territory soon passed to the Prince-Bishopric of Liège.
Industrial development
The first ironworks were founded there in 1809. John Cockerill and his brother James revolutionized the steel industry by using blast furnaces and coke instead of traditional charcoal. These inventions were the basis for the new company, John Cockerill & Cie established in Seraing in 1817.
List of mayors 1977–1988: (PS) 1988–1993: (PS) 1994–2000: Jacques Vandebosch (PS) 2000–2005: Guy Mathot (PS) 2005–2006: Jacques Vandebosch (PS) 2006–2018: (PS) 2018–2023: (PS) 2023–present: (PS) Demographics Group of originYearYearYearYear2000201020202026<ref>Number%Number%Number%Number%Belgians with Belgian background38,27463,235,17256,130,8364828,08343,4Belgians with foreign background11,83819,518,37629,323,46836,626,63841,1Neighbouring country1,2432,051,5682,501,7012,651,6612,56EU27 (excluding neighbouring country)8,06313,3110,99317,5311,99618,6811,58717,89Outside EU 272,5324,185,8159,279,77115,2213,39020,67Non-Belgians10,44517,39,15015,69,88815,410,04315,5Neighbouring country6051,006961,118471,328981,38EU27 (excluding neighbouring country)8,49414,026,37910,175,2528,184,4996,94Outside EU 271,3462,222,0753,303,7895,904,6467,17Total Population 60,55710062,69810064,19210064,764100
Sights
The Val Saint Lambert crystal factory site includes the old Val-Saint-Lambert Abbey
Notable people
John Cockerill, British entrepreneur and founder of the Cockerill-Sambre steel company (1790–1840) Eugenio Barsanti, Italian inventor of the internal combustion engine (1821–1864) Leo Anton Karl de Ball, astronomer (1853–1916) Julien Lahaut, communist (1884–1950) Louis-Clément Picalausa, Scout novelist (1898–1969) , (1901–1922) André Renard (Secretary-General of the General Federation of Belgian Labour and leader of the 60-61 General Strike) (1911–1962) Christian Piot, football goalkeeper (b. 1947) Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, filmmakers (b. 1951 and 1954, resp.) Laurette Onkelinx, politician (b. 1958) Michel Preud'homme, football goalkeeper (b. 1959) Gilbert Bodart, football coach (b. 1962) Marc Tarabella, politician (b. 1963) Fabrizio Cassol, saxophone and aulochrome player (b. 1964) Marc Laho, opera singer (b. 1965) , politician (b. 1972) Michaël Goossens, football striker (b. 1973) Viktor Klonaridis, football player (b. 1992) John Wartique, racing driver (b. 1990)
International relations
Twin towns—Sister cities Seraing is twinned with: : Douai : Rimini : Châtel
See also Liège Science Park The Dardenne brothers' films L'Enfant and Deux jours, une nuit
References
External links
Postcards and old photographs of Seraing Steel mill in Seraing