Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Autun railway rotunda was built in 1874 by the Compagnie des chemins de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée (PLM) to maintain the locomotives of the Étang-sur-Arroux–Santenay line. Featuring a 14-metre rotating bridge and an office for mechanics, it reflects the industrial architecture of the era, with its stone walls and roofs in mechanical tiles. Its initial layout included four access routes and maintenance facilities, partially maintained today.

After the Second World War, the rotunda was expanded by the Régie des transports de Saône-et-Loire (formerly the Compagnie des chemins de fer départementaux) to meet the growing needs of local locomotive maintenance. Although decommissioned from its primary function, it became owned by SNCF, which set up a training centre run by SFERIS, its subsidiary. The internal transformations removed most of the original equipment, with the exception of a pit and rail, while the rotating bridge, still operational, testifies to the technical know-how of the PLM.

Ranked a historic monument in May 2020, the rotunda is distinguished by its characteristic architecture, including the console in the upper part of the dropper wall, signature of the PLM rotundas. The site, located on Carion Street in Autun, also includes ancillary buildings: a former workshop with partially preserved railway tracks, and the ex office of mechanics, converted into offices. These elements, combined with the original rotating bridge, make it a rare testimony of Burgundy railway history, now dedicated to vocational training.

Heritage protection covers the entire rotunda, rotating bridge and access roads, excluding modern additions. This classification underlines its historical and technical importance, while allowing its suitable reuse. The later extensions, built in parpaings and sheet metal, contrast with the original structure, illustrating the evolution of needs and materials over the 20th century. The site remains the property of a public institution, without systematic openness to the public.

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