//
Sub-municipality of the city of Mons, Belgium
Photo: Donarreiskoffer, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Spiennes is a small village with about a thousand inhabitants in Wallonia, close to Mons. The town itself is mostly an attraction for what it once was, that being the foremost Neolithic production centre of pre-historic Europe. The town's UNESCO-listed flint mines were active between 4,300 and 2,200 BC, and tools made of Spiennes flints have been distributed far and wide through Europe.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
A since 2000, the Spiennes archaeological site is one of the oldest and largest centres for the extraction of flint in Europe. Dotted with thousands of mine shafts, the site extends over 250 acres at a distance of four miles from the city of Mons. Digging mine shafts to as much as 16 metres in depth, Neolithic man invented techniques to extract large slabs of flint, in some cases weighing hundreds of kilos. He also developed techniques for cutting the flint, which are now recognised as early evidence of human ingenuity. In the midst of beautiful greenery, the SILEX'S interpretive centre at the Neolithic flint mines of Spiennes allows visitors to understand all facets of this internationally renowned archaeological site. Visitors have the possibility to go on educational walks at surface level, visit the semi-permanent exhibition, and descend into a real Neolithic flint mine.
By car
The best way to reach Spiennes is by taking your own mode of transit. In that sense, a car is most convenient.
By public transit and bike
Mons is the nearest train station. Reaching Mons from Brussels Airport (BRU) can be done in as little as an hour and twenty minutes.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Charleroi · International · CRL
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Spiennes and Belgium.
Travel tipsBelgium has one of the densest rail networks anywhere in the world. You can expect to travel Belgium by rail to be reasonably timely, fast and frequent, making rail travel in Belgium a convenient way to travel around…
Wikivoyage
Culture & historyThe Belfries of Belgium and France are a world heritage site. The site comprises 56 belfries from Flanders and Wallonia in Belgium, and from far northern France.
Wikivoyage
ItinerariesStretching from Knokke to Adinkerke, the Kusttram (Dutch for "Coast Tram") makes it possible to travel almost the entire length of the Belgian coast by tram.
Wikivoyage
Travel tipsSo you've read all the stories about Antwerp being the diamond capital of the world and are wondering whether it really is cheaper to buy a diamond ring straight from the source rather than pay for all the…
Wikivoyage
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.