The overall Fortified Position of Liège was a constituent part of the country's National Redoubt.

Fort de Liers was built between 1881 and 1884 according to the plans of General Henri Alexis Brialmont.

The service areas were placed directly opposite the barracks, which opened into the ditch in the rear of the fort (i.e., in the face towards Liège), with lesser protection than the two "salient" sides.

[2] The Brialmont forts were designed to be protected from shellfire equaling their heaviest guns: 21 cm.

The fort's heavy guns were German, typically Krupp, while the turret mechanisms were from a variety of sources.

When the Liège's fortifications proved unexpectedly stubborn, the Germans brought heavy siege artillery to bombard the forts with shells far larger than they were designed to resist.

Liers surrendered on the 14th, with the interior of the fort uninhabitable due to dust, gun gas and sewage.