24/09/2025
The Lille Catholic University chose a wonderful and touching way to celebrate its 150th anniversary with a creative concept behind 150 portraits.
During the European Heritage Days(*) on September 20-21, 2025, the Lille Catholic University opened its doors to the public, allowing visitors to explore its splendid blend of ancient and modern architecture, including an amazing chapel, a beautiful botanic garden, and a historic observatory. Throughout the campus, visitors could admire portraits of people created in various artistic styles, which immediately caught my attention.
Our tour guide later explained the university's original concept for marking this milestone anniversary “150 portraits d’étudiants”.
The 150 portraits actually represent selected graduates - one from each year since the university's founding. These 150 artworks, created in different artistic styles including collage, sculpture, and mixed media, were all produced by current university students as a tribute to their predecessors. Isn't it a cute idea?
These portraits are displayed in vintage cupboards to add to the historic atmosphere and protect the artworks from bad weather. They can be discovered at 60, Boulevard Vauban, Lille.
(*) European Heritage Days are a unique opportunity to visit some of Europe's finest buildings and cultural sites for free. The scope is impressive: thousands of cultural sites across Europe with over 20 million visitors annually! Founded in 1989 by the Council of Europe and joined by the EU in 1999. The objective is to promote understanding of shared cultural heritage and foster preservation efforts.
Learn more about European Heritage Days :
https://commission.europa.eu/news-and-media/news/european-heritage-days-explore-past-protect-our-future-2025-09-12_en
https://www.europeanheritagedays.com/
