Waroux Tower

Waroux Tower, locally known as Tour des Waroux or Tour Romane, stands in a small public park in the center of the town of Amay, in the Liège province in the Wallonia region in Belgium.

Waroux Tower was built in the 12th century out of sandstone and limestone. The tower house dominated the valley of the Meuse just outside the medieval settlement. It was built to house a custody holder, a layman from a noble family, who was granted the advowson of Amay by the Bishop of Liège. In later centuries it probably only housed a small garrison. Also with the advent of artillery it lost its strategic value and was more a prestige building; a symbol of social advancement and economic power.

In the 14th century the custody holder of Waroux Tower was a knight; Rasse de Warfusée de Waroux, hence its present name. From the 15th until the 20th century it was held by members of the Périlheux de Rochelée family. Since 1971 the tower is owned by the municipality of Amay and has been restored.

The tower is almost 16 meters high and, until the beginning of the 20th century, was circled by a moat. It has 4 floors.

At present Waroux Tower is not accessible. I did see signs that showed that it should house a small bar and shop but they were closed when I visited. It didn't look as if they had been open in the recent past.

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