Bethléem portal - Huy

Behind the collegiate church is the famous Bethlehem portal from the 14th century. It is one of the most beautiful in Wallonia. It contains scenes related to the childhood of Jesus : birth, announcement to the shepherds, massacre of the innocent children, adoration of the magi. For this reason the inhabitants of Huy gave the name "Bethléem" to the work.

At the beginning of the 13th century, the canons of the collegiate church of Huy, who built their new church on the ruins of the church from 1066, decided to build an external portal against the chevet. It would serve as an entrance to the cemetery that surrounded the church building. It was probably the work of a workshop of Hutois artists.
The name of the donor also remains unknown, but the figure was depicted in the sculpture of this Bethlehem (in the lower left "painting" called the Nativity).

The monument has undergone many changes over the centuries. The most important were in the 16th century, when the left side was demolished to make way for the rebuilding of the Halle des Drapiers in the Rue aux Encloîtres. In 1499, a fire in the treasury of the collegiate church caused serious damage, which was not repaired but hidden behind the construction of a sacristy.

The Revolution also threatened the church: there was a great desire to demolish it, but the Fabrique d'église saved it by buying it back in 1808 from the state, which had confiscated it. In 1884, an architect wanted to demolish it and move it 6 meters to free up the apse of the church. Hut architect Emile Vierset fiercely opposed the project and ultimately won his case.

In 1890, however, the Leuven architect Helleputte received permission to replace the Renaissance bas-relief above the tympanum with a frame facade depicting the Assumption of Mary. The Auberge de l'Anneau d'Or, a 14th-century house to the left of the portal, was demolished. A new sacristy was built on the right. The 3 images on the brackets of the straight legs were also removed.

At the beginning of the 21st century, the statues received a complete makeover and in January 2015 the public was able to admire the masterpiece again.

Willem Vandenameele