Built in 1853 to serve as a merry-go-round, Cirque des Variétés has had various assignments throughout its history (a permanent circus of several thousand places, a riding school, a music hall hosting, among other things, a Buffalo Bill show, etc.). . Transformed in 1892 by the architect François Petit, it is taken over in 1894 by the Manège Company on the fountain then converted into a garage in 1935, using special freight elevators to do this.
The Circus consists of a cylindrical brick building covered with a conical roof crowned by a skylight. Inside, a circular 34-meter-diameter room, originally with three floors of balconies, is divided into four levels by concrete slabs. The top floor is occupied by a large auditorium covered by an interesting roof mixing wood, metal and glass, restored in 1989 at the initiative of the association City and District.
It is said the famous white face clown Pipo Sosman (Sr.) made his debut in the ring of the Cirque des Variétés as a four year old presenting ponies.
The Cirque des Variétés was classified as a monument on October 6, 1987
Address
Former CIRQUE DES VARIÉTÉS
Rue Joseph Jaspar 1
4000 Liège
Belgium
Historic Postcard images courtesy of
The-Circus-Collection.Com
Gallery
