Flint Museum

The Museum of Flint (Musée du Silex) stands inside one of the most unusual structures in eastern Belgium — the Eben-Ezer Tower, in Eben-Emael, part of the municipality of Bassenge. This roughly 33-metre, square tower rises on a hilltop in the Jeker valley and is built almost entirely from rough flint stone.

Who built the tower, and why?

The tower is the life's work of Robert Garcet (1912–2001), born in Mons. At age 18 he moved to the Jeker valley between Liège and Maastricht, where he first worked as a laborer in the local quarries before eventually becoming the owner of one. Garcet was a self-taught palaeontologist and geologist with a deep interest in history and pacifism, and it was this opposition to war that shaped the entire project. Construction began around 1948–1951 and continued until 1963. Garcet conceived the tower as a symbolic "appeal for world peace," drawing on biblical references and symbolism borrowed from ancient civilizations.

What does the tower look like?

The structure has seven floors, several of which are open to visitors. Four corner turrets are topped with stone sculptures representing the four biblical cherubim: a bull to the northwest, a sphinx-like figure to the southwest, a lion to the southeast, and an eagle to the northeast. The entire building is made of flint boulders, a material that has been quarried in this stretch of the Jeker valley for thousands of years and once served as raw material for toolmaking.

What can visitors see inside?

The lower floors of the tower house the Museum of Flint, which traces the history and uses of the stone from prehistoric times through industrial-era extraction to the present day. The site also includes a section called the Géologium, dedicated to the geological history of the Broukay area, the industrial exploitation of flint and limestone, and the natural regeneration of the former quarry landscape, which has since been adapted for educational, cultural and recreational use. Admission also includes access to the surrounding park grounds.

Practical information

The museum operates on a seasonal schedule. From April to October it opens on weekdays from 11am to 6pm, and on weekends from 11am to 7pm. From November to March, hours shift to 11am–5pm on weekdays and 11am–6pm on weekends. It is closed on December 24, 25 and 31, as well as on January 1. A visit inside the tower itself is limited to one hour from the scheduled entry time, the site is not wheelchair accessible, and pets are not permitted on the grounds. The tower has also drawn some international attention: Garcet and his creation were featured in Jarvis Cocker's 1999 BBC documentary series Journeys into The Outside.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the Museum of Flint located? In Eben-Emael, a village within the municipality of Bassenge in eastern Belgium, in the Jeker valley between Liège and Maastricht.

Is the Museum of Flint the same thing as the Eben-Ezer Tower? Yes — the flint-built tower's lower floors house the museum exhibition dedicated to the history of the stone.

Who built the tower and for what purpose? Robert Garcet, a self-taught palaeontologist and pacifist, built it as a symbolic call for world peace, blending biblical symbolism with the region's flint-quarrying tradition.

Can visitors climb the tower on their own? Yes, though time inside the tower is capped at one hour from the booked entry slot, and the site is not accessible to wheelchair users.