Église Saint-Pholien de Liège, Gothic Revival parish church in Outremeuse, Belgium.
Église Saint-Pholien is a Gothic Revival church with three naves, five bays, and a three-sided apse arranged in the style of that architectural period. The interior space today serves as a hybrid venue combining religious functions with contemporary exhibition areas for multimedia presentations.
The original foundation dates to 1189 when Eustache des Prez established a religious site near the Meuse riverbank. The present building arose in 1914 from architect Edmond Jamar's redesign, following the demolition of the earlier structure with a contemporary approach to Gothic Revival aesthetics.
The church holds deep roots in the neighborhood's crafts tradition, particularly among tanners who venerated the silver statue of the Virgin inside. This connection to local trades shaped the social fabric of Outremeuse for centuries.
The building sits on Boulevard de la Constitution 1 in the Outremeuse district and is easily accessible on foot. Visitors should check when the site welcomes guests, as it balances religious activities with hosting contemporary exhibition events.
The church gained literary fame through Georges Simenon's detective novel 'The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien', which centers on the building's reconstruction era. The novel brought international attention to the Outremeuse neighborhood in crime fiction circles.
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