The Bassinia

 

The only one of its kind, the fountain or Bassinia that occupies the centre of the Grand-Place, the old market square, is seen by the locals as one of the four jewels of the city, along with the Rondia (the rose window in the cathedral), the Tchestia (the château) and the Pontia (the bridge over the Meuse).

The oldest part of the fountain basin is a circular platform in bronze, dating from the very beginning of the 15th century. It i supplemented by four turrets alternating with statuettes around a central tower, details taken from the city's coat of arms. The characters represent Mengold and Domitien, the patron saints of the city, St Catherine, who gave her name to the parish where the spring that feeds the fountain is located, and a knight, probably a count of Huy. The figurines have a clearly Gothic look about them, as does the shape of the fountain basin. 

The central tower of the fountain was capped by the bronze sentry from the belfry at the end of the 16th century. The first half of the 18th century saw the addition of four stone pools supplementing the bronze basin. Four wrought iron Rocaille-style arches sit atop the fountain under a bronze two-headed eagle. The current stone pools and eagle are the result of work carried out in the 19th century. The fountain is currently the subject of archaeological research. At the present time, a plexiglas screen enables the foundations to be seen, while the restoration of the fountain is in the hands of the IRPA.

Listed: 1-08-1933

Exceptional heritage site of Wallonia