Liège Postscript: Obscure Splendor

A few days ago, as we approached the soot-covered cathedral in the city the Romans called Leodium, we did not expect much. Northeast Wallonia's industrial legacy is visible throughout Liège, and especially on the outside of this thirteenth-century gothic cathedral. We were in for a pleasant surprise...

Above: Grime-covered Lorraine stone.


We walked inside, and found ourselves in a beautiful, light-filled, cavernous space.
"The vaults of the nave and transept display an exuberant decoration of painted foliage scrolls... reproduced in the nineteenth century for the aisles." (Cathedral pamphlet)


This church was actually the collegiate church of St. Paul, but was elevated to cathedral status after the original Liège cathedral was destroyed in the post-revolutionary fervor of 1794 (under the French regime).

Note the fleur-de-lis at the bottom of the huge crucifix hanging from the ceiling.

At the end of our tour, I practiced my French with two nice old ladies who made sure that we realized that the relics of St. Lambert are located in the church.

We will visit Lambert's city of Maastricht, and, the most important church in this region, Charlemagne's Aachen cathedral, later this week.

Au revoir!