COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF HUY AND ITS TREASURE
Collegiate church with a square tower, the rose window Li Rondia, and beautiful shrines including that of St. Domitian.
On the site of an earlier place of worship, the foundation stone of the collegiate church, dedicated to Notre Dame, was laid in 1311. The choir was completed in 1377, and all work was finished by 1536. The building is a blend of 14th-century Radiant Gothic and 15th-century Flamboyant Gothic. On the outside, attention is drawn to the enormous square tower, once topped by a spire that burned down in 1803. A large rose window, Li Rondia, pierces it: it's the largest radiant-style rose window in the country. Rebuilt in the 1870s after being destroyed during the city's bombardment in 1944, its abstract stained glass windows are the work of master stained glass artist Raymond Julin. Its relatively recent restoration (2007) makes it even more beautiful. In fact, it's one of the wonders of Huy.
Inside, in the right side aisle, a staircase leads to the Romanesque crypt of the church built by Theoduin of Bavaria (1066). The central apse features a large late12th-century Christ on the Cross.
The Treasury. Four of Belgium's finest shrines are on display, including the 12th-century shrine of St. Domitian and St. Mengold. Also on display are objects discovered in the tomb of Theoduin of Bavaria, beautiful brown varnishes and enamels still in their original state, as well as epigraphs and engraved copperware. Among the enamels is the Tree of Life medallion, a masterpiece of Mosan art produced around 1160.
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