Perron (columnar monument)

A perron (in French; also Dutch: perroen) is kind of stone column, often decorated with a cross-bearing orb (globus cruciger) common to many towns and cities belonging to the erstwhile Prince-Bishopric of Liège (980-1795) in modern-day Belgium.

They were primarily built in the so-called Good Cities (Bonnes Villes or Goede Steden) that formed the primary urban settlements in the polity.

However, the actual origin of the symbols of the column is unclear, with analogies made with the ancient pillories.

[1] This was "viewed both as a punishment of the people of Liège and as a clear warning to any Flemish subjects who might be tempted to question the duke's authority".

[2] The former cities of the Prince-Bishrophic where perrons have been built are nowadays located in multiple regions and provinces of Belgium, in addition to one in the Netherlands (that of Maastricht, which was a condominium of the Prince-Bishopric and the Duchy of Brabant during the Middle Ages).

The perron at Theux
The re-erection of the Liège Perron , as a symbol of local autonomy, in 1478 after the end of Burgundian rule.