Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

At the end of the 18th century, the prefecture hotel in the Aube came into being when the Parisian architect Louis de La Briere built a building between 1778 and 1781 to replace the former abbey of Notre-Dame-aux-Nonnais, the churches of Saint Jacques and a cemetery, destroyed after the fire of 1188. This building, originally designed for non-prefectural use, was reassigned in 1794 after the sale of the Hotel de Marisy, the first temporary headquarters of the prefecture created in 1790 with the departments. Public criticism at the beginning of the 19th century led to its modernization, notably by the addition of a closed court of honor of a gate, preserved until the fire of 1892.

The reconstruction after the fire of 1892 spread from 1894 to 1899, although the prefecture returned to the site in 1896. The building undergoes modifications under German occupation, such as the flight of a bronze medallion replaced by a clock. A major restructuring took place in the 1980s, before its partial inscription in the historical monuments on 1 December 1988: facades on courtyard, 19th century roofs, wrought iron grill and two lions carved by Valtat. Today, it embodies both administrative power and an architectural heritage marked by historical hazards.

The site is also distinguished by its location on the Place de la Libération in Troyes, in a department where the prefectural administration has undergone several moves. The protected elements reflect the evolution of institutional tastes and needs, from the neoclassicism of La Briere to contemporary adaptations. The entrance grid and Valtat lions symbolize post-revolutionary republican prestige, while successive fires have shaped its current identity.

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