Good Cities

The Good Cities (French: Bonnes Villes) were the most important cities of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège (980-1795). If considered a Good City, the city was allowed to build a city wall; partake in the States of Liège; and erect a perron symbolising the autonomy and freedom of Liège.

In 1651 the Good Cities numbered 23, and they were grouped in so-called villes thioises (Low Dietsch cities, which contemporarily would be termed Dutch or Flemish) and villes françoises (contemporarily French or Walloon cities). All of these Good Cities are located within present-day Belgium.

Two other major cities of the Prince-Bishopric had a special statute, which differentiated them from the Good Cities as they were not allowed to be represented at the States of Liège.

The cities

Villes thioises

City name	Contemporary location
Beringen	Province of Belgian Limburg
Bilzen	Province of Belgian Limburg
Borgloon, then named Loon	Province of Belgian Limburg
Bree	Province of Belgian Limburg
Hamont	Province of Belgian Limburg
Hasselt	Province of Belgian Limburg
Herk-de-Stad	Province of Belgian Limburg
Maaseik	Province of Belgian Limburg
Peer	Province of Belgian Limburg
Sint-Truiden	Province of Belgian Limburg
Stokkem	Province of Belgian Limburg
Tongeren	Province of Belgian Limburg

Villes françoises

City name	Contemporary location
Châtelet	Province of Hainaut
Ciney	Province of Namur
Couvin	Province of Namur
Dinant	Province of Namur
Fosses-la-Ville	Province of Namur
Huy	Province of Liège
Liège	Province of Liège
Thuin	Province of Hainaut
Verviers	Province of Liège
Visé	Province of Liège
Waremme	Province of Liège

Cities with a special statute

The Condominium of Maastricht - of which the Prince-Bishopric shared the authority with the Duchy of Brabant and later the Dutch Republic - as well as the Dukedom of Bouillon comprised the two cities with special statute.

City name	Contemporary location
Bouillon	Province of Luxembourg
Maastricht	Province of Dutch Limburg, Netherlands