The town of Ath

Ath is a small Walloon town in the north of the Belgian province of Hainaut. It lies where the two branches of the Dender meet and is best known for its folklore.

Ath is called the city of giants. Its famous "Ducasse", recognised by UNESCO as world heritage, has set the hearts of the "Athois" racing for more than five centuries! This annual parade of giants, the Ducasse d'Ath, takes place on the fourth Sunday of August.

The Maison des Géants (House of Giants) is home to Goliath, his wife and a whole host of other giants. Numerous museums and historic buildings bear witness to the town's rich past.

Sights in Ath:

• On the Grand-Place stands the late-Renaissance town hall
• not far from the Grand-Place, at the end of a side street, the Burbant Tower (12th century)
• Ath's Gallo-Roman Museum, with its Gallo-Roman boats
• the Maison des Géants museum, dedicated to the folkloric giants
• the Gothic church of Saint-Martin (1585), with its remarkable church furnishings
• Le Blanc Moulin: a grain mill in Ostiches, a village in the municipality of Ath