THIRD ITINERARY
(Follow the arrows along the streets indicated by continuous lines).
From the Grande Place to the Citadelle
Monuments to be seen on the way: The Monument to Desrousseaux in the Jussieu Square, the Testelin Monument, the Church of the Sacred Heart, the Palais Rameau; the Bridges over the Deule, Monument to Négrier, Churches of St. André and St. Catherine.
The temporary bridges mentioned further on, existed in April, 1919. In whatever state the tourist may find them, he need only follow the Deule canal, after the Jardin Vauban, cross the first bridge he meets, and turn back to the left (if necessary) on the other side, until he comes to the avenue which opens out on the right opposite the Boulevard de la Liberté, and which leads to the Citadelle.
MONUMENT TO DESROUSSEAUX.
Leave the Grande Place by the Rue Nationale, following the latter as far as the church of the Sacred Heart, whose high unfinished tower will be seen on the right. To the right is the Jussieu Square (landscape garden laid out by Barillet in the moats of the old fortifications), at the entrance to which is a monument to the local poet and song-writer Desrousseaux (photo opposite), who started his career (1820-1892) as a simple working-man, and whose dialect songs are still sung. At the foot of the monument is the figure of a young mother rocking her child to sleep, recalling the composer's most popular song; "Dors, min p'tit quinquin."
Cross the Boulevard de la Liberté, then skirt the Testelin Monument. M. Testelin was Prefect of the North of France and "Organizer of National Defence in the North in 1870-1871." The monument bears traces of the bombardment, while the bronze statues which surrounded the pedestal were carried away by the Germans.
On reaching the Church of the Sacred Heart, turn to the right and follow the Rue de Solférino to the Boulevard Vauban, on the right of which is the Palais Rameau.
The Palais Rameau
THE PALAIS RAMEAU.
This fairly large building was erected in 1878, with the financial help of an agriculturist named Rameau. The principal hall is used for exhibitions, more especially horticultural. The rather curious façade includes a bust of Rameau flanked by figures of the goddesses Flora (flowers) and Pomona (fruits). In the rear of the Palace Garden is a fine circular conservatory.
On leaving the Palais, take on the right the Boulevard Vauban which, a little further on, crosses the Jardin Vauban (pretty public garden), leading to the Canal de la Moyenne Deule.
Skirting a portion of the Citadelle and continuing the canal of the Haute Deule, this canal connects Lille with la Bassée and Douai. The river Deule was first opened up to navigation in 1271, while in 1830 its sidings were improved and the water-way deepened.
In April, 1919, it was necessary to follow the Deule as far as the Square du Ramponneau, where a temporary wooden bridge had been built close to a half-destroyed foot-bridge. After crossing the bridge, visitors had to come back to the left as far as the first avenue on the right leading to the Citadelle (see p. [49]).
THE CITADELLE ROYAL GATE.
The Citadelle
This masterpiece of the fortification art is the work of Vauban (17th century). In shape a regular pentagon, it includes numerous detached out-works. Entrance to it is gained through the Royal Gate, which dates from 1670 (photo above). It contains barracks and a chapel (photo below), and it was in the latter that the hostages of Lille spent their nights during the German occupation (p. [12]).
Jacquet, Deconinck, Maertens, Verhulst and Trulin were shot in the northern moats by the Germans (p. [18]).
After visiting the Citadelle, re-cross the bridge, turn to the left and follow the Façade de l'Esplanade, fine avenue planted with linden-trees, which runs alongside the canal. The ruins of Napoléon Bridge, blown up by the retreating Germans, will be noticed (photo p. [52]).
THE CITADELLE CHAPEL.
NAPOLÉON BRIDGE
(January, 1919).
NAPOLÉON BRIDGE
before destruction.
The Napoléon Bridge dated from 1912. It was destroyed by the retreating Germans.
Beyond the bridge is seen the tower of St. Catherine's Church (see p. [54]). This photograph was taken from the Négrier Bridge (p. [53]).
Further on, at the northern end of the avenue, is the Négrier Bridge, which was also destroyed by the Germans. Looking towards Napoléon Bridge, the tower of St. Catherine's church appears above the trees bordering the canal. Near by is the statue of General Négrier by Bra (1849), photo below, which was damaged by flying débris, when the bridge was blown up.
NÉGRIER BRIDGE.
Take the Rue du Magasin on the right to the Rue Royale, and follow the latter to the right. With its continuation, the Rue Esquermoise, which leads to the Grande Place, the Rue Royale forms one of the main arteries of the old town.
The Church of St. André is reached shortly afterwards.
Church of Saint-André.
STATUE OF GENERAL NÉGRIER.
This church was erected in 1702. The doorway, with its two tall modern statues of St. Peter and St. Andrew in niches, is of two different orders, superposed and divided by an entablature, the whole being surmounted by a triangular pediment.
THE PULPIT, CHURCH OF ST. ANDRÉ.
Near the entrance are two paintings: The Purification, and The Adoration of the Wise Men, by Otto Venius. In the southern aisle is a St. Theresa in Heaven by A. de Vuez; in the chapel of St Joseph: God sending his Son to save the World, by Van Oost; on the High Altar: Martyrdom of St. Andrew, by a local artist, G. Descamps; on either side of the choir, marble busts of St. Peter and St. Paul, by Quellin; in the northern aisle, the Annunciation, by A. de Vuez; in the Chapel of the Virgin, the Virgin giving the scapulary to one Simon Stock, by Jean Van Oost; a silver Tabernacle with bas-relief representing The Crucifixion, by the local goldsmith, Baudoux; an 18th century wrought-iron railing; 16th century sacerdotal ornaments from the Abbey of Loos. The pulpit (photo p. [54]) by J.-B. Daneson of Valenciennes, dates from 1876. Its sounding-board represents a heavy curtain raised by an angel.
Further on in the Rue Royale, after the Banque de France, in a small street on the right, is the Church of St. Catherine (photo below).
Church of St. Catherine
Like many Flemish churches, that of St. Catherine has no transept, and consists of three practically identical naves. Standing out from the façade, a large square tower, flanked at the corners by eight buttresses, supports the ancient timber-work belfry—one of the finest in the region. The bell-chamber is lighted by broken-arch bays. One of the heavy bells (1403) bears a curious inscription in rhymes. Below the tower is the great doorway.
The exterior decoration is very sober in style. The right-hand side of the building is masked by houses. The left façade, between whose high mullioned windows are buttresses decorated with small ornamental arcades, has been restored in modern times. Belts of foliage run round the gutters of the roof. The carvings on the great and small doorways are modern.
Inside the church are two rows of columns on moulded bases, the corbels of whose capitals are ornamented with foliage. The nerves of the vaulting are plaster.
CHURCH OF ST. CATHERINE,
seen from the Rue Royale.
In the northern aisle is a painting by Rubens: The Martyrdom of St. Catherine, dating from about 1622; in the Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes, on the left of the choir in a small niche, is a statuette of Our Lady of the Seven Afflictions, given by Philippe le Bon, in 1450, to the collegiate of St. Peter. In the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, to the right of the choir, is a small 15th century funeral monument in a niche. The carved stalls ornamented with statues are also noteworthy.
After visiting the church return to the Rue Royale; at Nos. 1 and 3, curious 17th century houses.
At the end of the Rue Royale, take the Rue Esquermoise (which is the continuation, and which contains 18th century houses at Nos. 83 and 101), as far as the Grande Place.