Old king's mansion - Namur

The current (2024) building that houses the Namur Palace of Justice is the heir to the second residence of the Counts of Namur , which was known as the "Mansion of the King" or "Government Palace" when it was the palace of the governors of the became the county of Namur.

The residence was built in 1631 by architect Roussel and was adapted to its new function as a courthouse in the 19th century . The building was subsequently restored and expanded by the provincial architect Boveroulle in neo-Renaissance style.

The complex, constructed of brick and bluestone, consists of four wings that frame a rectangular courtyard; only the facade on the street side is still original. The main facade is characterized by a portico-tower-shaped forecourt, with a monumental semicircular portal in the center with moldings in the Louis XIII cartouche and framed by Tuscan columns.

The lintel and balcony date from the 19th century. An arched passageway leads to the cobbled courtyard , lined by a gallery of arched Tuscan columns . Only the colonnade at the entrance is original, but this has been academically restored.

In 364 years, 31 governors headed the County of Namur , from Antoine de Croÿ, appointed in 1429 by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, to François-Joseph-Rasse, Prince of Gavre, appointed by Emperor Leopold II in 1791 The governor was the "captain general of the county", on behalf of the Count of Namur, responsible for the defense of the territory and exercised leadership in the monarch's absence. From the 17th century onwards, the privileges of the governors gradually diminished.

The King's Hall played a central role in the investiture ceremonies of the monarchs as Counts of Namur . On the day of the inauguration, the procession gathered at the palace, led by the governor, and went to the cathedral of Saint-Aubai n, then followed the same route in the opposite direction. The festivities lasted several days . The new Count of Namur stayed in the palace and met the city's civil groups in the courtyard.

Willem Vandenameele