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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The town hall of Verdun was built in 1623 as a mansion for Nicolas Japin, commissioner of state powders, in a Louis XIII style inspired by the Sully hotel in Paris. When he died, the building passed to the Marquise de Boudeville, before being bought by the city in 1737 for 18,000 pounds. He then became the seat of municipal institutions, a role he still retains today.

In 1865 an extension was added to the left wing, and in 1886 the building was classified as a historic monument. A devastating fire in 1894 required a reconstruction completed in 1898, during which a carved pediment and a campanile were added. During the Battle of Verdun in 1916, firefighters took refuge in its basements, testifying to its importance during the conflict.

Since 1925, the city hall has been home to the War Museum, created on the initiative of MP Victor Schleiter. The museum exhibits documents and objects related to the First World War, including medals, photographs of destruction, and relics of destroyed villages. Four cannons offered in 1873 for the resistance of Verdun during the Franco-German war were also visible in the court.

The architecture, typical of the Louis XIII style, consists of a main body flanked by two square wings, with a court of honor closed by a gallery. The campanile overlooking the building and the decorative elements recall the Parisian influence, especially that of the Sully hotel. The building symbolizes both municipal power and the memory of the conflicts that marked the city.

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