Saint-Hubert
Herlinval
6983 Herlinval (La Roche-en-Ardenne)
Chapel | 1627 | | Catholic Church
Map
Opening hours
01 June - 30 September
Mon 10.00 - 16.00
Tue 10.00 - 16.00
Wed 10.00 - 16.00
Thu 10.00 - 16.00
Fri 10.00 - 16.00
Sat 10.00 - 16.00
Sun 10.00 - 16.00
Religious offices
15 August : 11.15 am
Description
Above all it is the environment around this little chapel of shale and stone that is enchanting: a green meadow enclosed by a little wall, a nearby stream, a bench to sit and contemplate the scenery and the village houses.
The chapel, dating from 1627, is topped by a small octagonal bell-turret with an iron cross at its summit. This itself carries a cross and key symbol which was probably that of the Saint Hubert abbey. There are some statues of saints inside. When the chapel is closed a small opening in the door allows one to view the interior.
Photos
Remarkable elements
Main altar
Baroque retable altar in gilded wood that occupies the back of the building. The table is an altar stone from the former castle of the region.
Statues
There are several statues in this building. Saint Hubert of Liège, the patron saint of the chapel, stands in the altar niche. Saint Joseph and Saint Eligius stand on pedestals. There is also a statue of Mary and one of her mother, Saint Anne.
Group of the Swoon of the Virgin
This sculptural group is located above the altar. This is an important piece of immense artistic value for understanding the sculptural arts in the Ardennes region.
Religious artifacts
The chapel houses a chalice from 1693, a ciborium from the 17th century, and a missal by Plantin from 1651.
Bell tower
A little bell tower overlooks the church building. It was crowned with a wrought iron cross decorated with the fleur-de-lis. The stem, which serves as an axis, sticks up towards a hollow circle crowned with a second smaller cross. On the axial rod, one can see a key and a staff in the shape of a St. Andrew’s Cross.
The Herlinval chapel belonged to the parish of Ortho, which was already mentioned in 1139 in the list of possessions of the abbey of Saint-Hubert. The staff hence symbolizes the abbot of Saint-Hubert. The key reminds one of the third miracle in the legendary life of Saint Hubert of Liège.
Nearby
Circuit
Churches of the Ardennes, from century to century
From bell tower to bell tower in the heart of the Ardennes (car 2 route) - Several churches are built on the very site of very old oratories, of which they have preserved traces. Some were destroyed and then rebuilt, especially after the Religious Wars. Others, more recent, testify to the styles in vogue at the time of our (great-)grandparents....
Sacred lands
From bell tower to bell tower in the heart of the Ardennes (hike 2) - Already occupied in prehistoric times, the forests of the Ardennes have seen the birth of prehistoric, Celtic, Gallo-Roman and then Christian places of worship. The remains of these millenary rites have become rare, but several sacred places, reused to this day, still retain their memory.
Of shale and sandstone
From bell tower to bell tower in the heart of the Ardennes (cycle route 1) - How lucky we are to have so many "building stones" in our basement. In this part of the Ardennes, it is mainly schist and sandstone that we find, or even a mixture of the two. The churches built in these rocks draw a very particular strength of character from them... A route for lovers of climbing.
