Liège is the chief town of the province of Liège, Belgium, and the largest French speaking city in Belgium. Besides St. Paul's cathedral, Liège contains many Romanesque and Gothic churches, including St. Bartholomew’s, St. Denis’, St. James’, St. John’s, St. Cross and St. Martin’s.

St. Paul’s cathedral was founded in the 10th century and was rebuilt from the 13th until the 15th century. In 1801 the church was promoted to cathedral to replace the demolished St. Lambert cathedral. The building shows the typical elements of the Mosan Gothic style: three naves with seven bays and chapels. On the ceiling are a number of beautiful frescoes, dating from 1557, and showing a panoply of people, birds, arabesques and mythical animals. Saint Paul's cathedral possesses a splendid treasure with ivory artifacts from the 11th century as well as the golden relic-shrine of St. Lambert and a smaller relic-shrine offered by Duke Charles the Bold (probably to make up for the destruction and plundering of the city that he had ordered).

Cornelius Richard Anton van Bommel (1790-1852) was a Bishop of Liège, Belgium. He was a strong advocate of religious education and was instrumental in the foundation of a Catholic university.

The medal was issued in 1852 to commemorate the death of Mgr. Bishop van Bommel, bishop of Liège.

LINK to bust of  Mgr. Corneille van Bommel  (kindly provided by Elisabeth Masoin, a descendent of Bishop van Bommel)