High Fens

The Baraque Michel (German: Michelshütte) is a locality in the municipality Jalhay, in the High Fens, Wallonia. Before the annexation of the Eastern Cantons by Belgium in 1919, it was the highest point of Belgium. Now it is the third highest point at 674 metres (2,211 ft), after the nearby Signal de Botrange (694 metres (2,277 ft)) and the Weißer Stein (691 metres (2,267 ft)). The Baraque itself is an inn and the starting point of many excursions. The Baraque Michel was founded between 1811 and 1813 by Michel Schmitz, of Herbiester (a hamlet close to Jalhay), already as an inn, but also as refuge for stray travellers: a bell was sounded there during fog, which allowed the rescue of more than one hundred people during the 19th century. The establishment was also used as relay for the mail coaches, that connected the two then Prussian towns of Eupen and Malmedy. The direct connection was partly through Belgian territory, along the current N68 road. Several rivers of Belgium, part of the basin of Vesdre, take their source in the vicinity. The principal ones are Gileppe, Hoëgne and Helle.

Signal de Botrange is the highest point in Wallonia and in Belgium, located in the High Fens (Hautes Fagnes in French, Hohes Venn in German, Hoge Venen in Dutch), at 694 metres (2,277 feet). It is the top of a broad plateau and a road crosses the summit, passing an adjacent café. It is also the highest point in the Ardennes and in the European part of the Benelux. For several decades a meteorological station was installed at signal de Botrange. Since 1999, it was replaced by an automatic station of the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium installed on Mount Rigi (scientific station of the High Fens - University of Liège), which is between the Signal and Baraque Michel which was formerly the highest point in Belgium prior to the annexation of the Eastern Cantons in 1919. Signal de Botrange experiences stronger winds than the centre of Belgium. Average and extreme temperatures are usually lower than at any other place in Belgium: the minimum temperature recorded (−25.6 °C [−14.1 °F]) does not, however, exceed the absolute record (−30.1 °C [−22.2 °F]), observed in the valley of the Lomme, at Rochefort during a temperature inversion. In winter, for three months, on average, the average temperature remains below 0 °C (32 °F). Rainfall is much greater than most of the rest of the country, at an annual average of 1,450 mm (57 in) compared with 800 mm (31 in) in Uccle: there are over 200 days of precipitation per year (against just over 170 in Uccle). Maximum temperatures in summer rarely exceed 30 °C (86 °F). The number of days of frost is over 130 days per year and the number of days of snowfall exceeds 35 days. The maximum thickness of snow was measured on 9 February 1953, at 115 cm (45 in) of snow. Frost and early snowfall can occur in late September, but that is exceptional. Late snow may sometimes occur until mid-May.At the height of winter the site is used as the start of a number of cross-country skiing routes.

Lake Eupen is an artificial lake near Eupen in East Belgium, not far from High Fens. The lake is created by a dam which was built on the river Vesdre in 1938 but inaugurated only in 1950 by Prince Charles of Belgium. The area has a German-speaking population who refer to the river Vesdre as Weser, but which is distinct from the Weser river in North Germany.

Xhoffraix ([French pronunciation: [(h)ɔfʀɛ]]; Walloon: Xhofrai [Hofrê or Hyofrê pronounced [hɔ.'fʀɛː] ]) is a village of Wallonia in the municipality of Malmedy, district of Bévercé, located in the province of Liège, Belgium. Xhoffraix is located in the foothills of the High Fens region, along a national road connecting Malmedy to Signal de Botrange.

Ovifat (Walloon: Ôvîfa pronounced [õ.viː.'fa] ) is a village of Wallonia in the municipality of Waimes, district of Robertville, located in the province of Liège, Belgium. The population is about 500. Its inhabitants are nicknamed Baras (rams).

The Arrondissement of Verviers (French: Arrondissement de Verviers; German: Verwaltungsbezirk Verviers; Dutch: Arrondissement Verviers) is one of the four administrative arrondissements in the Walloon province of Liège, Belgium. It includes all the 9 municipalities of the German-speaking Community (about 1/4 of population), while the remaining 20 municipalities in the Arrondissement of Verviers are part of the French-speaking Community. The Administrative Arrondissement of Verviers consists of the following municipalities:

The Judicial Arrondissement of Eupen (German: Gerichtsbezirk Eupen; French: Arrondissement judiciaire d'Eupen; Dutch: Gerechtelijk arrondissement Eupen) is a judicial arrondissement located in the Walloon Province of Liège, in Belgium. It comprises the 9 municipalities of the German-speaking Community. It is not an administrative arrondissement. As of 2016, there are 19,321 under its jurisdiction.

The Parliament of the German-speaking Community (German: Parlament der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft or PDG) is the legislative assembly of the German-speaking Community of Belgium located in Eupen. The most important tasks of the Parliament of the German-speaking Community include the election and the supervision of the Government of the German-speaking Community, the adoption of decrees for the German-speaking Community and the preparation and adoption of the annual budget.

The IKOB Museum of Contemporary Art is a cultural institution in the Province of Liège (Belgium). It is situated in Eupen, the largest city in the German-speaking Community of Belgium. It was founded in 1993 by Francis Feidler as the "IKOB - International Art Centre of East Belgium" and was renamed to its current name in 2005. Since then, the IKOB is the only recognised art museum in the German-speaking Community of Belgium. IKOB is an abbreviation for "Internationales Kunstzentrum Ostbelgien in Eupen".

Reinhardstein Castle (Walloon: Tchestea di Rénastène; French: Château de Reinhardstein; German: Burg Reinhardstein) is a castle of Wallonia in the village of Ovifat, in the Warche valley of Liège Province, Belgium. The stronghold was built in 1354 for Wenceslaus of Luxembourg, while still Count, by his vassal Reinhard of Weismes. It sits on a rocky outcrop in the river valley and is now surrounded by forest. By inheritance and marriage, it passed successively into the hands of the Nesselrode, Nassau, Schwartzenberg families and finally from 1550 to 1812 the property of the Counts of Metternich, except between 1795 and 1798 when the French revolutionary administration confiscated it. Franz Georg Karl Count of Metternich-Winnenburg-Beilstein sold the family estate in 1812 to a building materials dealer. From 1815 to 1919 the area belonged to Prussia. The Prussian administration immediately halted the demolition and attempted for the first time to protect the monument. After the Treaty of Versailles (1919) it became Belgian territory. In the 19th century it was nearly destroyed by quarrying but in 1969 the castle was thoroughly renovated under the impulse of the new owner Professor Jean Overloop. After the reconstruction, he continued to live there until his death in 1994. His wife and daughter, who inherited the castle after his death, donated it to a non-profit organization. The castle is inhabited but accessible to tourists. There is also a picturesque walking route along the castle.

Lake Gileppe is located in Wallonia, in the east of Belgium, near the city of Verviers. There is a 78 m high panoramic tower with a restaurant on the top to look at the lake and the landscape. The water volume is 26,400,000 m³ and the area is 1,3 km².

Eupen is a railway station in Eupen, Liège, Belgium. The station opened on 1 March 1864 on the Line 49. The train services are operated by NMBS/SNCB.