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Picture Gallery. MONS. 17. Route. 215
in the upper story, was embellished with statuettes. The baroque
tower, with a curious clock, was built by Louis Ledouw in 1662.
The small wrought-iron ape on the staircase to the left of the main
entrance probably once formed part of a tavern-sign, and is now
regarded as one of the emblems of the town. The concierge may be
found in the courtyard.
InrERIOR. One room contains a collection of portraits of eminent
natives of Mons. The Gothic Room, recently restored, is embellished with
three large paintings of scenes from the history of the town, by Pater-
nostre, Modeste Carlier, Hennebicg, and Bourlard. Another room is adorned
with tapestry after Teniers.
On the right and left of the Hétel de Ville are two buildings
with Renaissance fagades, the Maison de la Toison-d’Or and the
Chapel of St. George.
The Library (Pl. B, 2), at Rue des Gades 44, possesses 80,000
printed works and several MSS. with miniatures (adm. daily, ex-
cept Sun., 9.30-12 and 3-7). The grounds contain a bronze statue
(Pl. 7; B, 4), by Frison (1853), of the celebrated composer Orlando
di Lasso, or Roland de Lattre, who was born at Mons in 1520 and died
at Munich in 1594. — Opposite, at the corner of the Rue du Rossig-
nol, in an old baroque church, is the Muxeé de Peinture (Picture Gal-
lery; Pl. 8), including paintings by Th. Baron, Ant. Bourlard, Em.
Claus, Ed. de Schampheleer, A. Hennebicq, E. Laermans, Nayez,
Portaels, I. Roffixen, and other modern masters (adm. free on week-
days, except Sat., 9-44 and 2-6, on Sun. and holidays 2-4). — A
little to the N.W. of the park are the extensive buildings of the
Institut Commercial des Industriels du Hainaut (Pl. 2; B, 1), and to
the S. is the 16th cent. church of St. Elizabeth (P1. B, 4, 2), pre-
senting a singular mixture of the Gothic and Renaissance styles.
In the Place de Flandre stands an equestrian statue, by Jaquet,
of Baldwin IX. of Hainault and Flanders (P1. 3; C, 2), who took
part in the Fourth Crusade and became Emperor of Constantinople in
1204, Near this statue is a public garden called Vaushall (Pl. C, 2;
adm. 1/s fr.).
Ant. Clesse (d. 1889), the popular poet, is commemorated by a
bronze monument (Pl. 4; C, 2), by Dubois, in the Boulevard Dolez.
— To the W. of this point is the Ecole des Mines et Faculté Poly-
technique (Pl. B, 2), or School of Mines, with a palzontological col-
lection. In the court is a bronze monument to Professors Devillez
and Guibal, by Devillez (1905).
Mons is the centre of Lu BorrtnaGz, the chief coal-mining
district in Belgium. The inhabitants are known as ‘Borains’ (coal-
borers). Of the 125,000 coal-miners in Belgium more than three-
fourths belong to Hainault. A general survey of the country around
Mons may be obtained by taking the train to (121/5M.; in 40 min.)
Quiévrain(p. 216) via Jemappes, Quaregnon- Wasmuel (thence light-
railway to Frameries, p. 246, via Pdturages, p. 216), St. Ghislain
(p. 246; once the seat of a wealthy Bernardine abbey, now a centre |
