COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF NOTRE-DAME DE DINANT

The Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame in Dinant is one of the most representative monuments of ^13th-century Mosan Gothic architecture. A little jewel immortalized on postcards, it's worth the trip in itself. It was built on the site of a Romanesque edifice, destroyed in 1227 by a collapsing rock face. Fortunately, the famous sacking of Dinant by Philippe le Bon and the troops of the Duke of Nevers (1554), as well as the town's fire during the First World War and the extensive destruction that ensued, did not damage the edifice. The collegiate church, whose bulbous steeple towers over the river by more than a hundred meters, nevertheless gives the impression of being crushed, due to the height of the rocks behind it. It can also be admired from the top of the citadel. As a result, the church's choir is relatively small. At 50 m long and 30 m wide, it is divided into three naves on a Latin cross plan, with late ^15th-century windows. The church boasts remarkable colored and finely chased stained glass windows, including the "Ladon" stained glass window, one of the largest in Europe. The interior, despite its limited dimensions due to its location, gives an impression of grandeur while retaining the sobriety of Mosan art. Monostyle columns with octagonal capitals and high windows with flamboyant infills are particularly striking. The bas-reliefs in the baptismal chapel and font date from the ^11th century.