An Art Nouveau façade in Liege, the ‘Fabrique’ of the Saint Martin’s Basilica in Liege, the Maison Prés La Tour in Huy, and the Church of Sainte-Lucie de Mortroux in Dalhem: four heritage works in the Province of Liege will benefit from a total of 121,500 euros’ support from the Richard Forgeur Fund, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation. The Fund’s aim is to contribute to the restoration and safeguard of listed or particular significant buildings of the Province of Liege.

This new selection favours diversity: the monuments selected for support are both private and religious and come from different centuries (the 13th to the 20th), may or may not have a heritage certificate and are located in different towns across the Province of Liege.

"The Richard Forgeur Fund aims to make a decisive contribution to the restoration of listed monuments and buildings of particular significance in the Province of Liege, so as to ensure their survival for future generations” explained Mr Michel Foret, President of the Fund’s Management Committee. “Since 2013, the Fund has awarded almost 600,000 euros to support 21 projects of conservation or restoration of emblematic sites in the Province of Liege. Through this, the Fund perpetuates the memory of Richard Forgeur, a passionate archivist of Liege’s heritage, who was profoundly attached to his native city.”

Four monuments

Four projects were selected following the last call for projects:

• An Art Nouveau façade in Liege, at 6 Rue de la Liberté (Outremeuse), is noteworthy for its exceptional Art Nouveau decors. The most original aspect of the façade is the presence of four sgraffiti panels (sgraffito is a particular fresco technique in plaster) of figurative motifs that are of significant artistic quality. The Richard Forgeur Fund has allocated a sum of €22,500 for the restoration of the sgraffiti and the façade. The building will subsequently be included in tourist circuits that feature the rich Art Nouveau heritage of the Outremeuse neighbourhood.
• Fabrique of Saint Martin’s Basilica in Liege: here the Richard Forgeur Fund is donating €30,000 for the restoration of the Basilica’s high altar. This important element of the Basilica was created in 1746 by the Liege architect Etienne Fayen, to mark the 500th anniversary of Corpus Christi.
• Maison Prés La Tour in Huy: this listed house, which is the oldest in Huy, is undergoing renovation as part of its redeployment for public use and reconversion into a theatre. The Richard Forgeur Fund is supporting the restoration of the house façades with a donation of €40,000. This is the first project to be supported by the Richard Forgeur Fond in Huy.
• Church of Sainte-Lucie de Mortroux in Dalhem: this place of worship is also a cultural site which hosts a Liege abbey organ. The €29,000 in support provided by the Richard Forgeur Fund will be used to restore the historic balustrade of the church gallery (the only element not yet to have been restored).