mons

MONS, BELGIUM WALKING PATCH

Send $3.00 per patch to:

SHAPE Neighborhood Girl Scouts

Patch Program Coordinator

Unit 21420

APO AE 09705

(Revised October 1993)

1. START AT THE TRAIN STATION, MONS, BELGIUM

Stand in front, outside of the train station, and look up. What do you see? What time is it?____________ Remember the large clock for the your return. Note here the time you plan to return to this point at the end of the walking tour. Time to return =______________.

2. ENTER THE TRAIN STATION

The train station can be a busy place, especially in Mons. Trains transport goods and people to and from Mons daily. The history of Mons is displayed on a mural up on the wall inside the train station. Locate the mural and follow along as you read the history of Mons.

HISTORY OF MONS: In the 7th century, a lady came to live with a few companions on the present site (Mons hill) in order to establish a small religious community. The lady was married to a prince called Madelgaire. After raising and educating their 4 children, she founded a Castrilocus, a small monastery around which Mons grew and developed. Today, the prince is known as St.Vincent of Soignies and the lady is the Patron Saint Waudru. She's been protecting the City of Mons for 13 centuries.

Find the famous lumecon illustrating the victory of St. George against the dragon surrounded by various participating group:, the Men in White, the Chin-chins, the Wild Men from the Woods and the Devil.

3. FROM THE TRAIN STATION, CROSS THE PLACE LEOPOLD TO THE RUE DE LA HOUSSIERE and follow the street in an easterly direction. Soon you will see a large cathedral on the left. Name the cathedral__________________________.

4. ENTER THE CATHEDRAL (quietly, please).

Locate the St.Waudru Shrine above the main altar. The shrine is taken down once a year for the Golden Coach Procession in which the Dean entrusts the shrine to the Mayor who is responsible for the safekeeping of the shrine on it annual city tour. Inside you will also see "Le Car D'or" (golden coach) from 1780. Its only function is to take the shrine of St. Waudru through the streets of Mons each year on the Sunday following Whitsuntide (White Sunday).

5. EXIT THE CATHEDRAL AND PROCEED N.E. ON RUE DE CLERCS TOWARD THE Grand Place (Grand Market Square). Pass in front of the large fountain on your left and continue to Rue de la Chausee. Turn left on Rue de la Chausee. The Grand Place is the businesss center of Mons. A flower market is held on Friday mornings in the market square.

6. PROCEED TO THE TOWN HALL ON THE GRAND PLACE WHICH DOMINATES ALL of the other buildings thus providing an impressive panorama of civic architecture from the 15-20th century. The Town Hall (with a clock on top) or communal home is the house of peace for the people of Mons. It is common property, where elections and decisions concerning the welfare of all who reside in Mons are made. A small animal awaits your arrival at the Town Hall, it is the Grande Garde. What animal is it?________________

The monkey dates back to the middle ages. The monkey, being an animal very much in vogue during the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries in the world of art, can be seen in tapestries and insignias of the times. Locals rub its head with their left hand for good luck.

Notice the lock on the Town Hall door. What is its design? __________________

7. PROCEED STRAIGHT THROUGH THE (2) LARGE COVERED TOWN HALL entrances to the gardens (Jardin). In the past, the garden housed-chickens and apple orchards. Please notice the fountain of Ropieur (1930) by Gobert which spits water on passer-bys reminding them that children born through and through have retained to this day the cheeky humor of their ancestors.

8. RETRACE YOUR STEPS TO FACE THE FRONT OF THE TOWN HALL, FACING the Grand Place, turn to your left and proceed to the Rue de Nueve. Turn left on the Rue de Nueve and walk past the Museum de Beaux Arts (Art Museum). Stop. The entrance to the Musee de Folklore (Museum of Folklore) a:k.a. Maison de Jean Lescarts is at the end of the small pathway located on your right to the left of the Art Museum.

9. THE MUSEE DE FOLKLORE a.k.a. MAISON de JEAN LESCARTS (OPEN from 1000-1230 and 1400-1800hrs.) dates back to the year depicted on the front of the house. What year was the museum established? ____________.

Identify three items located in the front yard of the museum

_____________________________________________________________

10. ENTER THE MUSEE DE FOLKLORE BY RINGING THE DOORBELL, PAY the entrance fee in Belgium Francs and request to see the MONS MOVIE IN ENGLISH. The room where you pay the entrance fee is the Exhibition Room I: Mons. Locate the Mons map on the wall. Notice that Mons was a fortified, walled city on the hill subject to numerous historical sieges. The map dates back to what year?___________.

Now proceed through the remaining 12 exhibition rooms located upstairs and downstairs from the main floor on which you entered.

Rooms:

2. Weights and Measures-various chests, locks and plates showing the art of locksmiths and goldsmiths.

3. Ancient Sign-Boards - shop fronts from earlier days

4. Kitchen equipment-19th century kitchen with copper warming pans; note the large clock. How is it different from yours at home?_______________________

5. and 6.....

7. Board of Public Assistance

8. Popular Devotion-Forms of worship for St. Waudru

9. Mons Portrait Gallery

10. Drawing Room featuring souvenirs of Antoine Clesse, a Mons folksinger, 1816-1889

11. Mons folklore including a collection of bird cages

11. EXIT THE MUSEUM, FOLLOWING RUE de NEUVE BACK TOWARD THE GRAND PLACE TO RUE NIMY. On Rue de Nimy, turn left, northeast, and follow the road to the St. Elizabeth Church located on the right approximately I block up from the Grand Place. It has a green bell tower.

This concludes your Mons City Walking Tour Patch requirement. Retrace your steps to return to the train station.

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