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Origin and history

The Halle de Richelieu was built in the 17th century as part of the founding of the new town of Richelieu, conceived as an "ideal city" by Cardinal Richelieu. The latter, the minister of Louis XIII, entrusts to the architect Jacques Lemercier – also designer of the Sorbonne and the Palais-Cardinal (present-day Palais-Royal) – the mission of building a city organized according to a tree plan, inspired by Roman cities and medieval bastides. The hall, located on the Place du Marché (formerly Cardinal's Square), was one of the essential public facilities, alongside the presbytery, the audience (present mayor) and the shops. It embodied the cardinal's desire to create an autonomous city with lasting economic and administrative structures.

The construction of the hall is part of a larger urban project, launched between 1631 and 1642, involving more than 2,000 workers. The city, surrounded by ramparts and accessible by three monumental gates, was intended to welcome a chosen population, including nobles and artisans close to the cardinal. To accelerate its settlement, Richelieu exempts the city from taxes and offers building plots under conditions: the buyers had to build their house in two years, according to predefined plans, and resort to one of the two entrepreneurs appointed by the cardinal. The hall, like the 28 private hotels on the Grande Rue, reflects this architectural rigour and political ambition.

In the 19th century, the hall underwent modifications, before being restored in 2013. The work enabled the roofing to be reworked, the structure consolidated and the original soil level restored. Today, it is a remarkable example of 17th-century urban planning, integrated into a protective perimeter since 1962 and benefiting from a safeguard and development plan (PSMV) since 1997. The hall remains an emblematic place for local entertainment, such as the Cape and Sword festival, which recreates the atmosphere of the Great Century.

The hall is also part of a network of complementary monuments, including the church Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption (1633-1639), built by Pierre Lemercier according to the plans of his brother Jacques. The urban complex, classified as a historical monument, illustrates the adaptation of Italian models to French taste under the influence of Richelieu. The city, although partially deserted after the Cardinal's death in 1642, underwent a revival in the 18th century under the protection of the Dukes of Richelieu, becoming a major heritage site in the Centre-Val de Loire.

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