Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Lille City Hall, located in Roger-Salengro Square in the Saint-Sauveur district, replaces a previous building destroyed by a fire in 1916. The latter, built between 1847 and 1859 by Charles Benvignat on Place Rihour, had himself succeeded a medieval echevinal hall. After World War I, the socialist municipality led by Gustave Delory chose not to rebuild the old town hall, but to erect a new one, a symbol of a modern era. A competition was launched in 1920, and the project was entrusted to architect Émile Dubuisson, with the aim of transforming an unhealthy working-class neighbourhood into a structured urban space.

Construction began in 1924 under the leadership of Mayor Roger Salengro, who added a belfry to the original project. The first reinforced concrete building of more than 100 metres in France (104 m) was erected between 1929 and 1931 and inaugurated in 1932. The style of the building combines Flemish neo-renaissance and regionalist Art Deco, typical of the inter-war period in Lille, with materials such as brick, Béthisy stone and varnished ceramics. The belfry, inspired by the 17th century's "Lilloese spans", incorporates two statues of legendary giants Lydéric and Phinaert, carved by Carlo Sarrabezolles.

In the absence of sufficient funding (war reparations are exhausted quickly), only one third of the initial project is carried out: the administrative wing and the belfry. The works were partially completed in 1932, but the building was only completed in 1992 with a modern extension signed by Tandem+. The entrance hall was renovated in 2000. Ranked a historic monument in 2002, the belfry is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, alongside other belfries in Flanders.

The interior of the city hall is distinguished by a 143-metre gallery, divided into three naves by floral pillars, and rooms keeping their period furniture, such as Roger Salengro's office, left vacant since his suicide in 1936. The ubiquitous decoration of the fleur de lilies, an emblem of Lille, recalls the municipal identity. Despite the partial failure of the project, the building remains a symbol of the reconstruction and architectural innovation of Lille.

The site, served by Lille's Mairie metro station, is located in a neighborhood marked by 19th century industrial history. The belfry, often confused with that of the Chamber of Commerce, today embodies the modern heritage of the city, between Flemish heritage and technical audacity. Its ascent of 400 steps offers a panoramic view of the metropolis, reinforcing its status as an iconic monument.

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