Si l’ cloke d’ a Lambêrt sone våt mîs fé ‘ne bale bê-z-èt bone
When Lambert’s bell rings again you better have a perfect face
Until the Revolution, a cathedral dedicated to Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Lambert stood opposite the palace. The cathedral extended as far as Place du Marché, where one of the cloister corridors led to the Perron. The origins of this building are associated to the murder of Bishop Lambert of Maastricht. It is said to have occurred at this very spot. The cathedral was rebuilt several times and demolished in 1794. With its two cloisters, the cathedral was 170 metres long, and the great tower was reportedly between 120 and 140 metres high. The ‘Côparèye’ (the name of the cathedral bell that struck the hours) could be heard throughout the city. The demolition of the cathedral took more than 30 years. The stones from the cathedral were used for numerous buildings, including the short-lived Quai Micoud, the Fort de la Chartreuse, and most probably the tower of St Paul’s Cathedral — a real urban quarry, so to speak.
Many works of art have also survived. These include the bust of Saint Lambert, whose radiant face inspired the Walloon expression ‘ine bale come Sint Lambêrt’ (literally, ‘a beautiful face like Saint Lambert’). This expression is used to emphasise the beauty of a chubby face. Conversely, there is a popular belief aimed at children who pull faces that, if the bells ring, their faces will freeze. Luckily for them, the ‘Côparèye’ no longer rings the hours!