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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The convent of the Recollets, located in Vitry-le-François in the East, is today the town hall of the commune. This civil monument, built in the 17th century by the Order of Minor Brothers Recollets, was partially destroyed during the bombing on 28 June 1944. Its restoration finished in 1962, preserving its facades and roofs, classified since November 19, 1941.

Originally, the site housed a Royal Palace decreed by Henry II, successor to Francis I, founder of the city. This palace was to house the court, the finances and the echevinage (ancestor of the municipal council). The current location of the convent, on the town hall square, gradually replaced these first buildings, of which only indirect traces remain, such as the Place d'Armes.

The convent's designated garden, initially covering 79 acres, was transformed into a public park from 1843. After periods of abandonment during the Revolution and military use (ballistic park), he was enlarged and rearranged several times, notably in 1878 and 1897. The architect Berthier incorporated various landscape elements, mixing gardens with French and English. The destructions of 1944 allowed a reconstruction including basins and green theatre, bringing its current area to 2.60 hectares.

The interior and exterior façades of the convent, as well as its garden, have been protected as historical monuments since 1941. The building, owned by the municipality, today embodies both the religious heritage and the municipal administration of Vitry-le-François.

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