St. Paul's Cathedral (Liège)

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St. Paul Cathedral
Inside to the east

The St. Paul's Cathedral , full name Cathédrale de la conversion de Saint-Paul et de l'Assomption de Marie ( Cathedral of the Conversion of St. Paul and the Assumption of Mary into heaven ), the Belgian Liege is the Episcopal Church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Liège . The Gothic basilica was from the 13th to 15th centuries as a collegiate built church and 1804 as the successor of the destroyed Lamberts St. Cathedral elevated to cathedral.

History and architecture

Bishop Ebrachar founded the Paulsstift in 966 on what was then an island between two arms of the Meuse . There are only guesses about the appearance of the pre-Romanesque collegiate church.

Construction of today's church began in 1240. In the first phase, the choir (with a flat end), the transept and the two bays of the eastern nave were built. The church consecration took place on April 11, 1289.

The second, high-Gothic construction phase began after 1333 and comprised the four western bays of the nave, the side portal , the chapels of the side aisles , the polygonal apse and finally the tower (from 1390).

The cloister on the south side of the church, which is still preserved today, was built from 1445, and the west portal next to the tower at the beginning of the 16th century.

After it was elevated to the status of cathedral in 1804, the tower was raised by a bell storey and a pointed helmet; The model was the west towers of the destroyed Lambert's Cathedral. A major restoration in the neo-Gothic style took place in 1850–75 . The choir received two additional aisles, and the entire exterior was equipped with statues and decorative elements.

Interior and outfit

Despite the long construction period, the interior appears harmonious and closed. The constant vault height from the choir to the tower contributes to this. The contrast between the blue Maasland and yellowish limestone from Lorraine , the triforias and the sculptural jewelry are attractive .

The most important stained glass windows date from the middle of the 16th century . At the same time, part of the vault was painted; the rest in the 19th century. The high altar and other sculptures were created in the last third of the 19th century .

St. Lambert's Reliquary (1512)

In 1992, the cathedral's treasury was opened with the preserved treasures of the destroyed Saint-Lambert cathedral. It houses several outstanding works of Liège cultural heritage on three floors. In addition to the largest late Gothic reliquary bust in Europe of St. Lambert (height 159 cm, width 107 cm), the reliquary of Charles the Bold and numerous liturgical implements and vestments are shown.

organ

The organ on the west gallery was built in 1870 by the organ builder Merklin-Schütze . The instrument has 30 registers , including 2 transmissions to the pedal , and 5 registers on alternating loops, on three manuals and pedal.

I main work C–
1. Bourdon 16 ′
2. Montre 8th'
3. Salicional 8th'
4th Flute 8th'
5. Bourdon 8th'
6th Prestant 4 ′
7th Flute 4 ′
8th. Fittings III
9. Cornet V
10. Trumpets 8th'
11. Clarinet 8th'
II positive C–
12. Salicional (= No. 3) 8th'
13. Flûte (= No. 4) 8th'
14th Bourdon (= No. 5) 8th'
15th Flûte (= No. 7) 4 ′
16. Fifth 3 ′
17th Duplicate 2 ′
18th Clarinet (= No. 11) 8th'
III Swell C – g 3
19th Principal 8th'
20th Viola di gamba 8th'
21st Bourdon 8th'
22nd Flute echo 4 ′
23. Flageolet 2 ′
24. Trumpet Harm. 8th'
25th Basson-Hautbois 8th'
26th Vox Humaine 8th'
Pedal C–
27. Contrebasse 16 ′
28. Soubasse (= No. 1) 16 ′
29 Octave (= No. 4) 8th'
30th Trombones 16 ′
  • Coupling: II / I, III / I, III / II, I / P, II / P, II / P

Individual evidence

  1. More information about the organ

Web links

Commons : St. Paul's Cathedral (Liège)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 50 ° 38 ′ 25 ″  N , 5 ° 34 ′ 18 ″  E