Squeezed between the River Meuse and the high rocks that overlook it, Dinant is a little town indeed. Its main features are the river, the imposing citadel high above the town and the Collegiate Church of Our Lady with its characteristic pear shaped bell tower.This natural site of beauty was first occupied by the Celts before becoming a Roman settlement on the Roman built road joining Bavay and Trier. The Prince-Bishop of Liege had an Episcopal residence here and the town became part of the Principality of Liege in 1070. Its main development took place between the 13 th and 15 th centuries due to its remarkable copperware industry known at large as “Dinanderie”. Dinant held an important strategic position on the River Meuse and has thus been the site of many battles over the years (In 1914, it sustained 17 sieges)