Bueren Mountain

Cutting down a steep slope right in the heart of the Belgian city of Liège, Bueren Mountain is not in fact a mountain, but is actually a long staircase that can literally take your breath away by the time you get to the top. 

The long staircase was built in 1881 and juts straight down between the city's buildings as though a former road was simply covered in stairs. In fact the steep set of stairs (374 in all) was created to allow soldiers a way to get from the top of the hill to the city center without having to risk traveling through the dark city alleys which were filled with bars and prostitutes that have led to the downfall of countless troops throughout history. The so-called "mountain" was then named after 15th century aristocrat Vincent de Bueren, who led a defense of the city of Liège in response to an attack by the Duke of Burgundy.

Despite being little more than a colossal staircase the Bueren Mountain is one of the highlights in the historic city. There is no explanatory monument to the soldiers or to Bueren's defense of the city, but the staircase itself and the jaw-dropping view of Liège that it affords would seem to be memorial enough.