Huy

Huy (in Dutch Hoei , in Walloon Hu ) is a French-speaking city of Belgium located in Walloon region, chief town of district in Province of Liege.

Huy is located on the Meuse halfway between Namur and Liege.

Sections of commune

Ben-Ahin, Huy, Tihange and Neuville-under-Huy, which had been attached to Tihange a few years earlier.

Useful bonds

  • visit the city, its curiosities, its trade in panoramas 360°

History

Helped by a favorable economic climate, which had with its situation of stage city of shipping, Huy multiplies the trade associations. Many were the stainiers, tanners, fullers, ironmongers, carpenters… The most powerful trade association was that of the goldsmiths. The Métallurgie hutoise goes up without question very far in the past (work of the tin since the 7th century and, supported by Hoyoux, tributary of the Meuse, favourable with the establishment of waterwheels, the forging mills and furnaces knew in Huy, as of the Moyen-âge, a golden age without precedent. The technique of the beating of copper, flourishing industry in the city hutoise, spread in all the Europe as of the 11th century.

In 1066, the bishop of then, Théoduin of Bavaria, decides to rebuild the Collégiale Notre-Dame. To finance its project, he asks for Hutois half of their movable property. In exchange, it grants to the population hutoise the first charter of freedom of Western Europe. Huy became one of the Bonnes Cities of the Principauté of Liege.

The first crusade occurs 30 years later (1096 - 1099) and one sees arriving at Huy Pierre the Hermit, founder of the abbey of the Neufmoustier in 1101.

At the 15th century, the castle is transformed little by little into true fortress. Built on a hill overhanging the Meuse, it will make the pride of the hutois and will become the emblem of the city. Huy is then a middle-class city of pleasure where enjoys to remain the Court of Burgundy.

Unfortunately, because of its strategic position, Huy sees its brilliant intended to tarnish and sudden many attacks. The fortress is tackled twelve times in thirty years. The beautiful city too often knows massacres, plunderings and fires.

In the year 1715, the destruction of the “Tchestia” (Walloon castle in ) is decided. The destiny hutoise then will be modified about it. The castle-citadel will be dismounted stone by stones, withdrawn by the townsmen.

In 1818, the construction of new extremely begins. It will never be used as position of attack, but many are the civilians to have suffered there during the wars from 1914-1918 and 1939-1945.

Huy then makes finally the great strides that this jewel mosan deserves and the activities multiply: paper mill, goldsmithery, besides then industrialization made it possible the 19th century with several hutoises families to know fortune (let us quote Delloye, Godin), calling Huy “the City with the Millionaires”.

Twinnings

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  • twinning with Natitingou (Benign) signed in 1987
  • twinning with Tienen signed in 1993
  • pact of friendship with Port Bouet (Ivory Coast) signed in 1984
  • pact of friendship with Seosan (South Korea) signed in 1984
  • pact of friendship with Bury St Edmund' S (United Kingdom) signed in 1995
  • pact of friendship with Montagano (Italy) signed in 1996
  • pact of friendship with Krujë (Albania) signed in 1999
  • pact of friendship with Taizhou (China) signed in 2002

Sporting test

It is with the Mur of Huy that is traditionally disputed the arrival of the cycle race of the Walloon Flèche.

In November takes place cash an automobile test for the championship of Belgium of rally: the Rally of Condroz-Huy. In November 2007, this test is with its 34e edition.

Famous characters

  • Pierre the Hermit born with Amiens towards 1050 and died in Huy in 1115. One of the most famous preachers of the first crusade of which it took the head of the popular troops. The lack of preparation and means of these modest cross showed a bitter failure. It will finish its days with Huy by melting the convent of Neufmoustier.
  • Jean-Joseph Merlin, born the September 17th 1735 in Huy, dead the May 4th 1803 with London, is a fertile inventor. One owes him in particular the invention of the Roller skate. It expatria in Great Britain after a turning by Paris: it improved also musical instruments and manufactured automats.
  • Joseph Lebeau (1794 - 1865), politician with whom one owes the election of Léopold of Saxony-Cobourg-Gotha with the throne of Belgium.
  • the Father Worse Dominique, born with Dining the February 10th 1910, died with Leuwen the January 30th 1969, Nobel Prize of peace in 1958 for its solicitude towards the Third world. It founded in 1960 the University of the Peace which will lead to the concept of the Iles of Peace .
  • Maurice Tillieux, born in Huy in 1922, died in 1978: draftsman and scenario writer of cartoons. One owes him in particular the heroes Gil Jourdan and Felix.
  • Andre Malherbe, former world champion of motocross

Four wonders of Huy

  • Li Bassinia, fountain of which the oldest part goes back to the 15th century. It is located at the center of the Town square (one can see there 4 characters and the Austrian bicephalous eagle).
  • Li Tchestia (the strong castle, destroyed in 1717 following the Treaty of the Barrier, is replaced in 1818 by the Dutchmen which extremely builds the current one on its site). Dominating the city, the Fort played a big role during the two world wars, particularly the war 1940-1945, while being in particular a place of concentration where were held more than 7000 civil prisoners.
  • Li Rondia: the rosette of Collegial Notre-Dame, XIe century, recently restored.
  • Li Pontia (the bridge).

The Septennial ones

In 1656, a serious dryness puts in danger harvests hutoises. The August 15th, the inhabitants organize a procession then and kill the Virgin from Sarte with a great piety and place it in the Collegial one. Whereas one brings back the statue in his vault on the heights of the city, the dryness ends. The authorities decide then, in thanks, to republish the procession the following year and then every seven years. The septennial festivals were born. The last proceeded the August 15th 2005.

During the Second world war, the city underwent many bombardments, but at the time of the septennial festivals and the descent of the Virgin, all the bombardments stopped and the city was released little from temp afterwards.

The nuclear plant

Nuclear plant of Tihange.

External bond

  • History of the City and the castle of Huy (Laurent Melard, burgomaster of Huy, 1641)

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