Herbesthal

Herbesthal is a village in the municipality of Lontzen, in the German speaking area of the province of Liège, Belgium.

Herbestal
Herbesthal
Location in Belgium
Coordinates:
CountryBelgium
RegionWalloon Region
CommunityGerman-speaking Community
ProvinceLiège
ArrondissementVerviers
MunicipalityLontzen
Postal codes
4711
Area codes087

Etymology

The origin of the name of Herbesthal is uncertain. The place is first mentioned in the State Archives of Liège under the name "Hardwestal" (14041405). Various sources refer the name to the following meanings: "Hostel in the valley", "Herbes Valley", "Herbert's place of residence" (the word "stal" in Germanic means residence) or even "Eggental" (the harrow is an agricultural implement). When the village was under French rule (1794-1814), it was called "Aubergeval", which can be translated as "hostel in the valley".[1]

International importance

Between 1843 and 1920 Herbesthal was the location of what was, by various criteria, the world's oldest international railway station. It lost that status because of frontier changes mandated at Versailles.[lower-alpha 1]

Notes
  1. See treaty summary articles 32-34

References
  1. Verkehrs- und Verschönerungsverein Herbesthal (Hrsg.): Im Zuge der Zeit Beiträge zur Geschichte der Ortschaft Herbesthal, 1995.
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