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Origin and history

The Thiry Barracks, originally called the Sainte-Catherine Barracks, was built between 1764 and 1769 under the direction of architect Richard Mique, on the orders of Louis XV. Located near the Sainte-Catherine Gate in Nancy, it was originally outside the city walls, but was integrated into the urban perimeter after the move of this gate in 1768. Designed to house garrisons, it consists of three bodies of buildings forming a large rectangular courtyard, with a historical pediment on the main building.

The construction began under Stanislas, Duke of Lorraine, but was completed by Louis XV after Stanislas died in 1766. The Grenadiers of France regiment settled in 1768, followed by other military units throughout the political regimes. Renamed Thiry barracks in tribute to General François Augustin Thiry, it was hailed by Emperor Francis Joseph as one of the most functional in Europe a century after its construction.

During the Second World War, it was temporarily renamed Adolf-Hitler Barracks. After the war, it housed the 26th Infantry Regiment until World War I. In 1952, its facades and roofs were inscribed in historical monuments. Since 2024, after rehabilitation, it has hosted administrative services (such as DDFIP) while remaining partially occupied by the army (Operational Energy Service and Recruitment Centre).

Two engravers, Dominique Collin and his son Yves-Dominique, immortalized the barracks at various stages of its construction. Dominique Collin, present at the laying of the first stone in 1764, represented Stanislas in discussion with Richard Mique, while Yves-Dominique Collin grava in 1769 a final view of the three houses and the ditch, before their modification in 1851.

The barracks illustrates Nancy's urban and military evolution, moving from an outside neighbourhood to an architectural and administrative symbol. Its history reflects the political and military changes of Lorraine from the 18th century to the present.

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