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250 Route 26. LIEGE. St. Paul's.
The Pare d’Avroy is continued towards the N. by the BouLr-
yarp D’Avroy (PI. B, 4, 5) and the BouLEvarRD DE LA SAUVE-
NigRE (Pl. B, 3), two favourite evening-promenades, both shaded
with trees. The latter, laid out on the filled-in bed of an old arm
of the Meuse, commands a fine view of the Church of St. Martin
(p. 254), and leads in a wide curve to the Place du Théatre (see
below). On the left side of the Boul. d’Avroy stands the Church of
the Benedictine Nuns, a baroque structure of 1677-92; to the right
is the agency of the Banque Nationale (p. xiii), a handsome Renais-
sance edifice. A little to the W., and somewhat back from the street,
is St. Christophe, the old church of the Béguines, in the transitional
style, well restored in 1890-92, with bold vaulting.
Most of the foot-passenger traffic in the inner town follows the
Rue du Pont-d’Avroy (Pl. B, 4) and the Place and Rue de la Ca-
thédrale (Pl. B, C, 3). From the Banque Nationale we cross the
Place St. Paul, direct to the cathedral.
The Church of St. Paul (Pl. B, 4), founded by Bishop Herac-
lius in 968, was rebuilt in 1280 (from which period dates the
handsome Gothic choir), while the nave was completed in 1628.
It was originally an abbey church, and was raised to the dignity of
a cathedral in 1802 (comp. p. 254). The tower (1812), 300 ft. in
height, contains a set of chimes.
The InTERIOR (closed between 14 and 2) is 276 ft. long, 4441 ft. broad,
and 80 ft. high. The nave and aisles are separated by round pillars. The
Nave is crowned by a handsome triforium-gallery; the vaulting is em-
bellished with Renaissance arabesques, executed in 1579, and restored in
1860. The pulpit, carved in wood in the Gothic style by W. Gee/s of Brussels
(4844), is supported by five figures in marble, also by W. Geefs, repre-
senting Religion, SS. Peter and Paul, SS. Lambert and Hubert (p. 248).
The Fallen Angel at the back is by Jos. Geefs. — Rieur (S.) AISLE: 2nd
Chapel (adm., see below), Modern reliquary of St. Lambert, Bishop of
Maastricht (d. 709) and patron saint of Liége, representing scenes from
his life, in gilt and enamelled bronze, with reliefs in silver, by J. Wilmotte
(4891-97); it is enclosed in a chest adorned with arms. — Sourn TRan-
sepT; Stained-glass window, with the Coronation of the Virgin (1530). —
The CHorr, which is separated from the nave by an elaborate brass
railing, contains stained glass, the five windows in the apse dating from
1557-87, the modern windows by Capronnies (4870). The enamelled copper
altar of St. Theodore was designed by Wilmotie.
The TREAsuRY (adm., including the reliquary of St. Lambert, see above,
1 fr.) contains, among other objects, a group (by Gérard Loyet of Lille)
of St. George and Charles the Bold, in gold enamel, presented by Charles
the Bold in expiation of his destruction of the town in 1468 (p. 248), and
the silver-gilt bust of St. Lambert, about 5 ft. high, by Henri Soetman
of Liége (1509-12). The reliquary (see above) and bust are exhibited
publicly from Sept. 17th to Sept. 25th.
At the entrance of the Rue Vinave-d'lle, opposite the W. portal
of the church, is a fountain adorned with lions and a statue of the
Virgin, by Deleour. — We now proceed to the N.W. by the Rue
Vinave-d’Ile and the Rue des Dominicains, and then turn to the
right into the Rue de Harmonie. This leads to the Puack DU
TukArRe (Pl. B, 3), which forms, along with the Place Verte and
the Place St. Lambert (p. 254), the business centre of the town. |