Outremeuse Liège

Across the River Meuse from the city centre is the gritty urban island of Outremeuse, whose working-class residents consider it a ‘Free Republic’. Their freedom is chaotically celebrated on 15 August during the Festival Outremeuse. At the north end of Rue Puits-en-Sock, acting as the area's unofficial gateway is what looks more like a statue-topped art deco grave. It has an inscription as the 'birthplace' of the puppet mascot Tchantchès, though the location is disputed by many who instead place his 760 AD appearance as being on Rue Roture.