DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.29899#0207
Bk. IV. Ch. I.
HISTOEICAL NOTICE.
187
BOOIv IY.
BELGIUM AND HOLLAND.
CHAPTEE I.
CONTENTS.
Historical Notice—Old Churclies—Catiiedral of Tournay—Antwerp—St. Jacques
at Liège.
»
Tiie little kingclom of Belgium forms an arckitectnral province as
distinct and in many respects as interesting as any in Europe. Its
style does not, it is true, possess that simplicity combined with
grandeur which characterises the one great united effort of Central
France, but it is more varied and picturesque, and as fully expressive
of the affinities and aspirations of the people.
As we may learn from their language, the dominant race during
the Middle Ages spoke a dialect very closely allied to the pure
Grerman, which proclaimed their affinity to their neighbours on the
Rhine ; but what their architecture tells us, though their language
does not, is that there was a very strong infusion of Celtic blood in
their veins which expresses itself in almost every building they
erected.
Shortly after the departure of the Romans the German immigrants
seem to have completely overpowered the original Belgæ, and, like
true Aryans, to have divided themselves into a numbcr of separate
and independent municipalities, with no established capital and
acknowledging no central authority. At times these communities
did submit themselves to the rule of Dukes and Counts, but only to
a very limited extent ; and for particular purposes they occasionally
even sought the protection of some powerful monarch ; but they
never relinquished their right of self-government nor fell under the
power of feudal chiefs, or of a dominant hierarchy, to the same extent
as prevailed throughout nearly the whole of the rest of Europe. This
spirit of independence was sustained throughout the Middle Ages by
the immcnse extension of commercial industry which the fortunate
HISTOEICAL NOTICE.
187
BOOIv IY.
BELGIUM AND HOLLAND.
CHAPTEE I.
CONTENTS.
Historical Notice—Old Churclies—Catiiedral of Tournay—Antwerp—St. Jacques
at Liège.
»
Tiie little kingclom of Belgium forms an arckitectnral province as
distinct and in many respects as interesting as any in Europe. Its
style does not, it is true, possess that simplicity combined with
grandeur which characterises the one great united effort of Central
France, but it is more varied and picturesque, and as fully expressive
of the affinities and aspirations of the people.
As we may learn from their language, the dominant race during
the Middle Ages spoke a dialect very closely allied to the pure
Grerman, which proclaimed their affinity to their neighbours on the
Rhine ; but what their architecture tells us, though their language
does not, is that there was a very strong infusion of Celtic blood in
their veins which expresses itself in almost every building they
erected.
Shortly after the departure of the Romans the German immigrants
seem to have completely overpowered the original Belgæ, and, like
true Aryans, to have divided themselves into a numbcr of separate
and independent municipalities, with no established capital and
acknowledging no central authority. At times these communities
did submit themselves to the rule of Dukes and Counts, but only to
a very limited extent ; and for particular purposes they occasionally
even sought the protection of some powerful monarch ; but they
never relinquished their right of self-government nor fell under the
power of feudal chiefs, or of a dominant hierarchy, to the same extent
as prevailed throughout nearly the whole of the rest of Europe. This
spirit of independence was sustained throughout the Middle Ages by
the immcnse extension of commercial industry which the fortunate