Quartier de l'Université, le Palais de Justice - Namur - Belgique - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

[FR]

"Le Palais de Justice occupe, depuis le XIXe siècle, l'emplacement de la résidence urbaine du dernier comte "autonome" de Namur. Jean III l'avait racheté à son frère qui le tenait lui-même du Chapitre de Saint-Aubain. Appelé ensuite "Hôtel du Roi", il devint le palais des gouverneurs du comté. Sa reconstruction date de 1631, d'après les plans du Roussel, maître des ouvrages de maçonnerie du comté. Le bâtiment est ensuite adapté à sa nouvelle fonction de palais de justice avant d'être, à la fin du XIXe siècle, restauré et agrandi dans l'esprit Renaissance par l'architecte provincial Boveroulle.

D'un austère équilibre, le bâtiment, adossé à la troisième enceinte, a été élevé à l'emplacement d'une tour des anciens remparts. Il se compose de quatre ailes entourant une cour rectangulaire. Côté rue, l'avant-corps central est flanqué de deux ailes dont les fenêtres sont encadrées de pierre. Dans le prolongement du portail monumental coiffé d'un fronton - seul élément décoratif de la façade - une passage voûté d'ogives débouche sur la cour pavée bordée d'une galerie soutenue par les arcades en plein cintre sur colonnes d'ordre toscan."

[EN]

"Since the 19th century, the Law Courts have occupied the site of the urban residence of Namur's last "autonomous" count. John III had bought it from his brother who himself held it from the Chapter of Saint-Aubain. Then called "Hôtel du Roi", it became the palace of the county governors. Its reconstruction dates back to 1631, according to the plans of Roussel, the master builder of the county's masonry works. The building was then adapted to its new function as a courthouse before being restored and enlarged in the Renaissance spirit by the provincial architect Boveroulle at the end of the 19th century.

With an austere balance, the building, leaning against the third enclosure, was built on the site of a tower of the old ramparts. It consists of four wings surrounding a rectangular courtyard. On the street side, the front central body is flanked by two wings with stone framed windows. In the extension of the monumental portal topped by a pediment - the only decorative element of the façade - a passage vaulted with warheads leads to the paved courtyard bordered by a gallery supported by semicircular arches on Tuscan columns."

Group that erected the marker: City of Namur Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Place du palais de Justice 5 Namur, Wallonie Belgique 5000 URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed

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