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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The former Chamber of Commerce of Saint-Étienne, known as Maison des avocats, was built in 1821 by architect Jean-Michel Dalgabio to house the Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as the Condition of Silks, an institution responsible for controlling the quality of silk yarns. Originally located Place du Peuple, the Condition of the Silks settles in this building, while the Stock Exchange occupies the ground floor. This project, validated by the Civil Buildings Council in 1819, reflects the economic importance of Saint-Étienne, then in full industrial development.

Between 1856 and 1875, architect Etienne Boisson undertook a major restoration, partially demolishing the building before rebuilding it, due to its degraded state. In 1892, Léon Lamaizière enhanced the one-storey building and rebuilt the roofs, thus modernizing its structure. The honour room, the symbolic heart of the place, is decorated with an allegorical painting on the ceiling by Albert Maignan (representing Mine, Metallurgy, Armoury and Rubanry) and carpets of Gobelins inspired by his drawings, illustrating the region's flagship activities: coal, silk, iron and glass. Local painters Emile Noirot and Charles Beauverie complete the decoration with landscape medallions.

The building, partially listed as a historical monument in 2002 (facades, roofs, gardens, fountains and honorary hall), embodies the Third Republic style and tensions between the City and the Chamber of Commerce, especially around the adjoining gardens, considered as inalienable public squares. In 1993, the Chamber of Commerce left the premises to settle in the former Manufacture d'Armes (Manufrance), leaving room for the Bar Association, which was the current occupant. The fountains added in 1923 and the renovations of 2004 complete its evolution.

The Condition of Silks, created by decree in 1808 and originally linked to the Chamber of Commerce of Lyon, plays a key role in the Stéphanois textile trade. Its installation in this building in 1821, alongside the stock exchange, highlights the link between industry and economic regulation. The Condition's revenues, detached from the municipal budget from 1861 onwards, partially financed the Chamber of Commerce, illustrating its economic weight. The relocation of the Condition in 1910 preceded that of the Chamber of Commerce, marking the end of its initial use.

The architecture of the building, in classic style, is distinguished by its seven-spaned, symmetrical facade, arcades on the ground floor and its mixed cover (trails and windows). The hall, rebuilt in the 1950s by architect Martin, incorporates a central staircase originally designed for zenith lighting, now masked by a false ceiling. The gardens, surrounded by an open gate ordered in 1898, remain a matter of discord until they are ranked with the monument. The busts of the presidents of the chamber, once exhibited in the hall of honour, are now preserved at the Museum of Art and Industry of Saint Stephen.

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