Arlon, Belgium

Arlon is also one of the oldest towns and habitats in Belgium. The name comes from the Latin 'Orolanum', which indicates that the city was originally a Roman foundation lying at the crossroads between two very important trade roads: the road from Reims (France) to Trier (Germany) and the road from Tongeren (Belgium) to Metz (France). All of these cities were important Roman settlements. After the decline of the Roman Empire, Arlon was taken by Germanic tribes (the Francs). This is the reason why the local dialect is a variant of the German Language. Of course, the official language spoken by everyone is French, because Arlon lies in Wallonia. During the Middle-Ages the city was part of the County of Luxembourg. The tourist office is situated in the old 18th century postal station. Around the Place Léopold (Leopold square) were constructed several official buildings in the middle of the 19th century: the neoclassicist House of Parliament and the neo-gothic Palace of Justice.