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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The school and the festive hall of the city of Solitude, located in Douai, was built during the 2nd quarter of the 20th century. It is part of the social equipment built by the Company of Mines of Aniche for workers housed in mining towns. This monument is distinguished by a neat architecture, mixing silico-calcar brick and red brick, in a picturesque regionalist style. It also reflects the hygienist principles of the time, while integrating spaces dedicated to education and leisure, such as a sports hall and a party room.

This school illustrates the paternalistic policy of mining companies, which took charge of various aspects of employee life in homogeneous cities. The building, although following a classic model with separate wings for boys and girls, stands out by a perpendicular wing with public facilities. These cities, built ex-nihilo, have profoundly transformed the landscape of the Douaisis since the late eighteenth century, integrating housing, infrastructure and social facilities.

The facades and roofs of the school and its festive hall, located at 674 Jules Ferry Street in Douai, were inscribed in the Historical Monuments by order of 11 June 2024. This monument bears witness to the industrial and architectural heritage of mining in the Hauts-de-France region.

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