Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Lombard band

Ocquier, once an independent village, is meanwhile part of the town of Clavier. The Stavelot Abbey owned a large estate here in the 8th century, still known as the "Ferme des Moines". These monks have probably played an important role, when "Saint-Remacle", dedicated to the founder of the Abbaye de Stavelot, was erected here from 1017 on. The (well restored) church is embellished by nice Lombard bands.

The first Christian church was built here at the site of a Roman temple in the 4th century. A tree nave basilica existed in the 9th century. A Romanesque cathedral was built, when Bishop Warmund (= Warmondo) had his episcopal see here, end of the 10th century. It is known, that this church had a "westwerk", following the Ottonian architecture, popular at that time north of the Alpes. Alterations and rebuildings were undertaken in the 13th, 15th and 16th century. In 1785 it was rebuilt again in a Baroque style. The eastern part of the church, with the crypt (previous upload), the apse and the two towers suvived the "modernisation" of the 18th century, though most windows of the apse and the blind arches got bricked up.