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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The town hall of Châlons-en-Champagne, built between 1772 and 1776 on the plans of architect Nicolas Durand, replaces a Renaissance building of 1533. Commanded by the Intendant Rouillé d'Orfeuil via a stop of the King's Council (1771), he embodies classical architecture with a stone facade of Savonnières, slate roofs, and a lead campanile. The building initially housed the town hall, a prison (access through Godart Square), and rooms like the consuls' room. In 1858, the rear wing, a former prison, was transformed into a court, then into a school and museum.

The large living room, adorned with the greys of Nicolas Perseval (local celebrities like Claude d'Espence or Pierre Bayen), and the honorary salon decorated with a painting by Édouard Detaille (the tsar Nicolas II at the Châlons camp) bear witness to his prestige. Ranked as a Historic Monument in 1932 (large living room) and 1941 (falls, stairs, roofs), he shared his premises with the municipal police and the Museum of Fine Arts. Foch Square, designed by Durand, was built after the destruction of a church and other buildings to create a harmonious square space.

The history of the site dates back to the 15th century, when the City Council (created in 1417) sat in the Holy Spirit Hospital, dedicated to St Martha. This hospital, run successively by religious orders (brothers of Saint-Lazarus, Daughters of God), housed a chapel and a room for the sick. In 1533, a Gothic town hall was built there, keeping the chapel until its transfer in 1651. The four lions of the present façade, carved by Antoine Lépine, are cited by Victor Hugo.

The materials reflect a variety of techniques: limestone working on the ground floor, cracked wooden panels on the floors for lateral wings, and a double U plane around two courtyards. The dome and campanile, covered with lead, dominate a slate cover. The building symbolizes the transition between the Old Regime (prison, consulate) and modern functions (administration, culture).

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