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Origin and history

The Beaugency Town Hall, built in 1526 during the Renaissance, is a remarkable example of civil architecture of this period. Its façade and interior bear the coat of arms of the city as well as the salamander, the emblem of King Francis I, showing its connection to the French monarchy. The building, classified as a historic monument in 1840, also retained bas-reliefs and carved medallions, some of which represented the weapons of Jean d'Orléans-Longueville, seigneur of Beaugency and archbishop of Toulouse before his appointment as cardinal in 1533.

The land was acquired by the city's prosecutors on 1 January 1526 to build the building, which was completed before 1535, as evidenced by notarial acts. Awarded to the Orléan master mason Pierre Biard, the town hall was restored between 1892 and 1898 by architect René Dussere, who inspired plans by Léon Vaudoyer. The works concerned the facade, the turrets, and some interior elements such as a chimney or the frame, while preserving the original sculptures, including the reliefs of the frieze and medallions.

The building is part of an architectural complex including a lower concierge house and a higher 18th century adjacent building that houses a wrought iron staircase. To the right, another building dating from the late 15th or early 16th century, transformed in the 18th century, belonged to the family of architect Jacques-Ange Gabriel. Acquired by the municipality in 1824, it now completes the municipal assembly. The town hall, located in the Place du Docteur-Hyvernaux, overlooks the city centre and the right bank of the Loire, in the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage area.

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