Church of Our Lady-across-the-Dyle was built in the 14th and 15th centuries on the site where Mechelen's first parish church probably stood. The tower contains a complete carillon with no fewer than 49 bells. The Dyle church houses some wonderful art treasures. Rubens painted a work for this church just as he had done for St John's. The fishmongers commissioned him to illustrate the wealth of their guild as they had done by building 'De Grooten Zalm' on the Zoutwerf. The large triptych entitled 'The miraculous draught of fishes' tells the story of the same name from the Bible. The fourteenth-century sculpture 'Our Lady with the Crooked Hip' is one of the glories of the church. It is the only free-standing sculpture in Mechelen from that period and it takes its name from Mary's characteristic stance.
References:The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.
In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.