Western Portal The construction of the west portal under the tower is attributed to dean Thomas Stouten (1556 to 1564): the pediment of this portal is decorated with the arms of coat of Corneille de Berg who succeeded Erard de La Marck who died on 16 February 1538 and Robert who reigned from 1557 to 1564. Printing workshop The name of dean Jean Stouten (1566-1604) is connected with the introduction of printing in Liége. The first book published in the City was the Breviarium in usum venerabilis ecclesiœ collegiatœ Sti Pauli Leodiensis issued from the press of Gautier Morberius, the first printer in Liège. The present church started in 1289, rebuilt in 1528 was completed in 1557. The Christ of Del Cour After the destruction of the dardanelle erected on the Pont des Arches in 1790, the Christ who had been above this tower since 1663, a work of Jean Del Cour, was transferred there. Since 1861, it has surmounted the interior entrance door. French Revolution After the Battle of Jemappes, the French pursued the imperial army and entered into Liège. The collegiate church of St. Paul was chosen to serve as a stable and slaughterhouse and was therefore almost completely destroyed. The chapter of St. Paul suffered the fate reserved for other religious buildings by revolutionary vandals: after looting the building, removing all metals, destroying the main glass windows whose lead was used to melt bullets, selling at auction the furniture, they installed a butcher's shop for their use; the cloisters were changed into stables. The calm restored by the triumph of the Imperials was not long-lasting. On 17 July 1794, the Convention's armies returned to Liège and the Principality was annexed to France. The following 10 December, the Executive Board decreed a 600 million loan to cover the costs of the war. From the Collegiate Church to the Cathedral In 1802, the former collegiate church was erected as a cathedral and in 1805 the organs of the old Collégiale Saint-Pierre de Liège and most of the treasures of Saint Lambert's Cathedral were transported there. Return of the relics On 30 December 1803, the Bishop wrote to the minister of worship Portalis asking that the government pay the fees and allowances due for the brought back from Hamburg. These six boxes contained the relics of the Saints and the debris from the treasure of Saint Lambert's Cathedral returned to