Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The ancient bishopric of Aire-sur-l-l-Adour, built in the 17th century, initially served as a palace for the bishops of the diocese, in connection with the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. It replaces a first 12th century palace, destroyed in 1569 by the Protestant troops of Montgomery during the Wars of Religion. The reconstruction began in 1627 under the impetus of the bishops Gilles Boutault and Jean-Louis de Fromentières, with gardens extending up to Adour and outbuildings such as orangery and attices.

After the Revolution, the building lost its episcopal role in 1790 with the Civil Constitution of the clergy, although Aire and Dax jointly became the seat of a diocese in 1822. Little occupied by the 19th century bishops, it was acquired by the city in 1911 following the law of separation of churches and state. Transformed into a military hospital during the First World War, it has been home to the City Hall since 1927 and is listed as a historical monument in 2015.

The architecture of the building is distinguished by a stone staircase and a board room decorated with woodwork. A stone depot, located at the foot of the stairway, preserves remains such as a Merovingian capital and mosaics of the fourth century, discovered during works. These elements bear witness to the ancient history of the site, long before its reconstruction in the seventeenth century.

External links