Bouvignes-sur-Meuse

Bouvignes-sur-Meuse (in Walloon Bovegne) is an old town opposite Dinant on the River Meuse, in the province of Namur in Belgium. In municipal terms, the commune was merged with Dinant in 1965. Either it or Dinant was the birthplace of the first specialist landscape painter, Joachim Patinir (d. 1524).

The Spanish House at Bouvignes

Bouvignes (left bank) opposite Dinant, Lucas van Valckenborch (1535-1597)

The neighbourhood of St. Lambert's church (13th-20th centuries)

In medieval times there was a lot of conflict between Bouvignes and neighbouring town of Dinant, on the opposite bank of the river, and at this point Bouvignes was a fortified town. This hostility was due to the townspeople of Bouvignes being linked to the Church of Namur and those of Dinant being linked to the Church of Liege.[1]

In 1320, on a high rock cliff next to the town, Crèvecœur Castle was constructed to build up the defences of Bouvignes during the hostilities. The castle was modified during the 14th and 15th centuries.[2]

In 1554 King Henry II of France sacked both Bouvignes and Dinant, and went on to besiege Crèvecœur Castle in Bouvignes. The castle held out, with leadership of the defence being taken over by the wives of three officers, but eventually the fighting ceased because the defenders had run out of ammunition. At this, the three wives threw themselves hand-in-hand off the castle walls, preferring to die than to be captured. Crèvecœur Castle is now freely accessible, offering beautiful views over the river and scenery. [3]