Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Manège des Gendarmes rouges is a military building built in 1787 in Lunéville, in the Carmes district, according to the plans of architect François-Michel Lecreulx. It was built to house an elite corps of the gendarmerie of France, installed in the city after Lorraine joined the kingdom in 1766. This body, considered too expensive, was dissolved as early as 1788, leaving the ride without initial military use.

With 96 metres long and 26 wide, this ride is considered the largest in Europe. Its original wooden frame, characteristic of the buildings of the time, was replaced in 1903 by a metal structure designed by the Great Lorrain Boilermaking. This change reflects the technical developments of the industrial era, while preserving the equestrian vocation of the building.

Ranked as a historic monument in 2006, the Red Gendarms ride illustrates both the architectural heritage of the 18th century and the subsequent transformations associated with technological advances. Its history is closely linked to that of Lunéville, a city marked by its military past and its role in the integration of Lorraine with France under the Ancien Régime.

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