PRINCE-BISHOPS' PALACE
Palace with a facade overlooking the Place Saint-Lambert to be visited during the Heritage Days but the first courtyard is accessible
The imposing façade of the Palais des Princes-Evêques dominates the Place Saint Lambert, the historic heart of the city, which stands on the site of the former Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Lambert cathedral, a huge Gothic edifice destroyed by revolutionaries in Liège in 1793. It can only be visited on Heritage Days, but the first courtyard is freely accessible. The former residence of the prince-bishops is today a composite building, dating mainly from the 16th, 17th and 19th centuries, and the result of its eventful history. The first palace was built around 1000 AD by Notger, the first prince-bishop of Liège, but was destroyed by fire in 1185. The second building, badly damaged after the Burgundian sack in 1468, suffered the same fate in 1505. Erard de la Marck, prince-bishop from 1505 to 1538 and a great Renaissance lord, was responsible for most of the present palace, which was rebuilt between 1526 and 1536. The building's interior was subsequently enriched with tapestries, furniture, etc. But during the Liège revolution of 1793, the palace was looted and abandoned. A major restoration was carried out in 1849, and the palace was chosen to house the provincial council. A new neo-Gothic facade was built on the west side, featuring statues and bas-reliefs celebrating illustrious personalities and great moments in the history of Liège. Today, these prestigious buildings are occupied by the provincial palace.
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