Grain hall Durbuy

Despite its name, this building was almost never used as a grain warehouse.

The name “Grain Hall” appears to date from the XIX century, apparently people thought that it used to be used as a storage for grains. With the exception of grains, it was a storehouse for many agricultural products . Grains - a product with a high economic value - were stored in the attics of the local lords. At its construction they will have called it “Maison Esapgnol (Spanish house)” .

Together with the halls of Tournai and Liège, the grain hall of Durbuy is one of the few public buildings to have been constructed using half-timbering. The first mention of a hall in Durbuy dates from 1380 . The construction of this hall must therefore be traced back to the XIV century, when Durbuy grew in importance - through the iron ore industry - and received city rights. The building as we know it today has gone through quite a few renovations, even rebuilds. Many witnesses of this are still visible. Thanks to a dendrochronological study ( wood dating technique that is accurate to 1 year), a date of about 1530 has been established.

A fierce fire at the beginning of the XVI century destroyed the entire building. The reconstruction was undertaken under the reign of Charles V and the construction was twice the size of the current hall.

The beginning of the XVII century is a pivotal moment in the existence of the hall. Due to the heavy decline of the iron ore industry, the building is no longer used and threatens to collapse. The covered market at the back of the hall will therefore be demolished.

Thanks to several renovations over time and especially two important restorations in the course of the XVIII century, our hall has stood the test of time. Unfortunately, this also affected the appearance of the building.

The last renovation was carried out thoroughly and successfully in 2005. With the help of archaeologists, efforts were made to restore the hall to its original appearance and at the same time to re-use the building, which had become unusable.

Over time, the building was used for various purposes . At the back was a covered market that also served as storage. The floor was used by the bench of aldermen and justice was administered . At one point it was a house, even a prison to later serve as a school.

Until recently, the tourism office was located in the hall, these services were moved to the opposite building during the restoration. Today the hall houses the “Durbuy History and Art Museum” . This museum organizes art exhibitions and can allow you to discover Durbuy old town with audio guides.

Willem Vandenameele