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Origin and history

Auray City Hall is a public building built between 1776 and 1782 to house the municipal administration. It was initially built on the wooden halls and the audience of the senate floor, pre-existing on the Place de la République. The first plans, designed in 1772 by M. de Saint-Pierre, engineer of the King at the Compagnie des Indes, were reworked in 1775 by Jean Detaille de Kerroyant, who oversees the construction of Taillebourg stone.

The building is inspired by Rennes City Hall, especially for its iconic belfry. In 1907, an extension was added to the northwest to accommodate an Italian court and theatre (registered in 2016). The adjacent halls were rebuilt in 1999, while a belfry consolidation campaign was conducted in 2013. The facades, roofs and belfry have been protected since 1963.

The monument illustrates Auray's urban evolution, combining judicial, commercial and administrative functions. Its neoclassical architecture, typical of the 18th century, reflects the influence of royal engineers and shipping companies in the region. The Place de la République, the historic heart, thus concentrates centuries of municipal life.

La pierre de Taillebourg, local material, and the dominant French style underline the link between Auray and the economic networks of the Compagnie des Indes. The building, still in office, bears witness to the sustainability of Breton municipal institutions since the Ancien Régime.

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