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All French heritage classified by regions, departments and cities

  2. Patrimoine
  3. Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur
  4. Bouches-du-Rhône
  5. 13200 Arles

  6. City Hall of Arles

 City Hall of Arles dans les Bouches-du-Rhône

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine urbain
Hôtel de ville
Bouches-du-Rhône

City Hall of Arles

    2 Rue de l'Hôtel de ville
    13200 Arles
Ownership of the municipality
Museums of France
All listed city hotels and palaces in France
Hôtel de ville dArles
Hôtel de ville dArles
Hôtel de ville dArles
Hôtel de ville dArles
Hôtel de ville dArles
Hôtel de ville dArles
Hôtel de ville dArles
Hôtel de ville dArles
Hôtel de ville dArles
Hôtel de ville dArles
Hôtel de ville dArles
Crédit photo : This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. Feel fre - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1700
1800
1900
2000
1657
Initial project
1666
First aborted site
juin 1673
New market
1676
Completion of work
1920, 1938, 1942
Successive classifications
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

The facades of the Town Hall, the belfry and the annex containing the library, and the former pretoire of the Palace of Podestats as well as the large vault, the vestibule, the large staircase, the large hall of the council, and that of the Archives inside the Town Hall: classification by decree of 20 December 1920; Roofs: by decree of 16 May 1938; The room covered with a stone vault located west of the large entrance hall: classification by order of 26 March 1942

Key figures

Louis-François de Royers de la Valfenière - Initial architect Author of the first project (1666), abandoned.
Jules Hardouin-Mansart - Royal Architect Modified facades and structure in 1673.
Jacques Peytret - Architect performing Directed the final site (1673-1676).
Dominique Pilleporte - Sculptor Collaborated with the final drawings.
Jean Dedieu - Sculptor Author of lions of stairs.

Origin and history

The town hall of Arles, located in Place de la République, was completed in 1676 after nearly twenty years of procrastination and architectural twists. His project was born in 1657, when the city council, taking advantage of a lavish period for the city, decided to replace the former medieval common house, considered unworthy. Several plans were rejected before that of Louis-François de Royers de la Valfenière was retained in 1666. However, some evils detected in 1667 forced everything to be demolished, further delaying the construction site.

In 1673, a new market was awarded with the drawings of architect Jacques Peytret and sculptor Dominique Pilleporte. The passage to Arles by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, a royal architect, changed the plans: he proposed façades inspired by Versailles, a displaced staircase and above all a revolutionary vault for the vestibule, without intermediate pillar. The work was completed in March 1676, with some deviations from Mansart's plans. The building today embodies a mixture of local and royal influences, marked by the sun of Louis XIV adorning his pediment.

The building is distinguished by its low arched vestibule of 15 metres in range, considered a masterpiece of stereotomy. The honorary staircase, framed by lions carved by Jean Dedieu, leads to the council hall, where the Venus d'Arles once ruled (now replaced by a copy). Ranked a historical monument in successive waves (1920 for facades and vestibule, 1938 for roofs, 1942 for a vaulted hall), the city hall remains a symbol of municipal power and of Arles' artistic ambition under the Old Regime.

The legal protections also cover the belfry, the former library and the Pretoire des Podestats, testimonies of the historical strata of the site. The building, owned by the municipality, preserves baroque elements (column balcons, pots-à-feu) and an allegorical decoration celebrating the Sun King. Its history reflects tensions between local ambitions and external interventions, such as that of Mansart, which marked its architecture for a long time.

External links

Page Wikipedia
Page Monumentum