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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Beauregard range is a series of 14 private houses located Place du Théâtre in Lille, built between 1685 and 1687. These houses replaced wooden houses built in 1551 after the demolition of the old hall with sheets. Their stone and brick construction, with strict rules of alignment and height, reflects the constraints imposed by the Lille Magistrate in 1674. The architectural style, combining French and Flemish influences, is characteristic of the period following the conquest of Lille by Louis XIV in 1667.

The origin of the name "Beauregard" dates back to 1426, when Philippe le Bon, Duke of Burgundy, erected a gazebo on the present place of the Theatre, demolished in 1651. This gazebo, called Beauregard, gave its name to the row of houses. The facades, decorated with sculptures and decorative motifs, bear witness to this stylistic synthesis. A notable feature is the presence of cannon balls inlaid in the facade, souvenirs of the Austrian siege of 1792.

Beauregard's rank was included in the inventory of historic monuments on 8 June 1966 for its facades and roofs, including the return to Rue des Sept-Agaches. Among the outstanding architectural details are the shields with cherub heads, the horns of abundance and the volute consoles. A brewery sign, La Cloche, also recalls the historical link between this place and the Old Stock Exchange, symbol of the Lille trade.

The houses, organized in two or three floors with attic attic, rest on vaulted cellars. Their construction takes place in a context of rigorous urbanization, where the harmonization of facades met aesthetic and functional requirements. The rank thus illustrates the evolution of Lille, which passed under French domination after 1667, while preserving traces of its Flemish heritage.

Today, Beauregard's rank remains a major architectural testimony of Lille history, mixing memory of conflicts (as evidenced by the 1792 balls) and commercial heritage. Its central location, near Lille-Flandres train station and the Rihour metro station, makes it an emblematic place for the city.

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