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The weathered concrete foundation of Blast Furnace C rising behind the Calculating Empires panels, with a red building to the right, in Belval
Outdoors & Landmarks

Socle du Haut Fourneau C

The plinth of Blast Furnace C, which left Belval for China in the 1990s. Its empty base now sits in a water basin and hosts art.

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Often referred to simply as Socle C, this plinth once held Blast Furnace C, the youngest of Belval’s three modern furnaces. It was first lit on 10 September 1979 and counted among the most modern in Europe.

Its working life ended early. On 19 January 1995 liquid iron broke through the hearth, and the repair was judged too costly. The furnace was taken apart in 1996 and 1997, shipped to China and lit again on Christmas Eve 1998. What stays behind in Belval is the foundation, now set in a shallow water basin.

Furnaces A and B still stand as protected monuments nearby. C is the one that left, and its empty base has become an outdoor stage for culture, from Esch2022 events to public art.

What's on here

1 upcoming event
Calculating Empires: A Genealogy of Technology and Power Since 1500Thursday to Sunday

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