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The Hidden Heart of a 19th Century Mayor Was Discovered Entombed in a Fountain
An urban legend that turned out to be true
We all love urban legends because of the mystery hidden behind them. Although we know what most urban legends remain just legends created by people who want attention, there is one urban legend from 140 years ago that was discovered to be true by accident.
The Urban Legend around Verviers
The town Verviers located in Belgium is a town that has evolved a lot since Belgium got its independence. The first important steps were taken by the first Belgium mayor of the town named Pierre David. Born in 1771, David always loved Verviers despite living a harsh childhood due to the French (1794–1814) and Dutch (1815–1830) occupation of his town.
Throughout most of his life, he saw the town being torn apart due to the political conflicts between the Dutch and the French. He was also a political advocate, fighting for Belgium’s independence. Due to all of these efforts, he was appointed to become the mayor of the town in 1830 and actually the first Mayor in Belgium as the country claimed independence that same year.
David died in 1839 at the age of 68 from natural causes. The city officers were planning to build a monument in order…
