Miners' Monastery of Huy

The Monastery of the Friars Minor testifies to the presence of this Franciscan order in Huy since 1225.

The Friars Minor settled in the Rue des Chevaliers (which became the Rue Vankeerberghen) in 1234 . Of this original core, only the church remained, adapted in the 14th, 16th and 17th centuries and during the reconstruction of the buildings from 1687 in the Maasland Renaissance style. .

The church has two naves with half-sided apses. Its construction dates back to 1244 for the central nave and to the 14th century for the side nave, resulting in the use of varied materials. The naves are illuminated by windows at the third point, some dating from the 14th century.

The cloister, which was attached to the church in the 17th century , consists of three wings that enclose a cloister with a Tuscan colonnade . The keys and arches bear dedicatory inscriptions, accompanied by coats of arms. The galleries are covered with one and a half stories under the roof, with cross or stained glass windows. One of the wings is extended by an irregular structure, the Patta House, built in the 19th century.

In 1705, a portico with columns was built in front of the entrance to the church and the adjacent monastery.

Nationalized under the French regime, the monastery was transformed into a gendarmerie at the beginning of the 19th century and also houses the court of first instance of the Huy district.

It was purchased by the city and benefited from a restoration in 1924 by the architects Gaspard and Schoenmackers. It now houses the municipal museum and cultural events.

Willem Vandenameele