Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Montbéliard Town Hall, located in Place Saint-Martin, replaces an ancient medieval building built around 1470. Its reconstruction was decided in the 18th century to modernize the seat of municipal power. The engineer Pierre-Louis-Philippe de la Guêpière designs the plans, while Inspector Georges Louis Morel simplifies the initial project. The demolition of the old building began in March 1776, and the first stone of the new town hall was laid on 23 May 1776. After two years of work by the entrepreneur Claude Jannin and his son Prothade, the inauguration took place on 13 November 1778.

The neoclassical building is distinguished by its pediment decorated with the arms of Montbéliard and the motto "God alone is my support". A bronze bell, listed as a historic monument in 1928, sits in the bell tower above the main entrance. It bears a Latin inscription in Gothic: "Ave Maria graci plena Dominus tecum benedicta tu in mulieribus". The balcony of the façade and the ramp of the interior staircase, works of sculptor Ganzer, are also classified in the same year. The building symbolizes the influence of the princes of Montbéliard, as evidenced by the princely weapons carved by Glorieux.

In 1858, a wing was added to accommodate an Italian theatre, designed by local architect Auguste Gogel. With a capacity of 500 seats, it includes a floor and two balconies, decorated with decorative paintings by Charles-Antoine Cambon and Joseph-François Désiré Thierry. This theatre, like the rest of the city hall, has been protected as historical monuments: the main building has been registered since 1939, while the hall, its hall and interior decoration have been registered since 1992.

The city hall also embodies significant events, such as the reception of the Grand Duke of Russia on 18 August 1782, a few years after its completion. The artisans who contributed to its construction include the carpenter Georges Curie, the Italian gypsum Gillardet, and the Strasbourgeois locksmith Jean-Baptiste Pertois. These details reflect the mix of local and European influences in the Montbéliardian architecture of the time.

Prior to its reconstruction, the former town hall, mentioned in 1398, had undergone several changes, including a tower enhanced in 1562 and expansions by the acquisition of a cabaret in 1523. The gardens, stables and other outbuildings, visible in 1715 and 1718, testify to its importance in community life. Today, the building remains a symbol of Montbéliard's municipal and cultural heritage, combining administrative and artistic functions.

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