Construction of rotunda 1946 (avril-décembre) (≈ 1946)
Prototype concrete reinforced by H. Gaillard.
28 décembre 1984
Registration for historical monuments
Registration for historical monuments 28 décembre 1984 (≈ 1984)
Official protection of the building.
2001
20th Century Heritage Label
20th Century Heritage Label 2001 (≈ 2001)
Modern heritage recognition.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Rotonde (IS 135): entry by order of 28 December 1984
Key figures
Bernard Lafaille - Design engineer
Designed the rotunda and its innovations.
Paul Peirani - Director of Buildings Services SNCF
Supervised the rotundas type P.
H. Gaillard - Entrepreneur
Construction was carried out in 1946.
Origin and history
The Avignon railway rotunda was rebuilt after World War II to replace the destroyed old rotunda. Designed by engineer Bernard Lafaille in collaboration with the SNCF building department led by Paul Peirani, it is one of the 19 type P rotundas built between 1946 and 1952. Its reinforced concrete construction, with a thin sail roof and prefabricated V-shaped elements, allowed rapid and economical construction between April and December 1946 by entrepreneur H. Gaillard. This 107-metre-diameter circular building, adapted to the proximity of the street, served as a prototype for later constructions.
The Avignon rotunda stands out as the only one of its type to retain a perfectly circular shape. It was listed as a historical monument on December 28, 1984, and was labeled "Twentieth Century Heritage" in 2001. Today, it houses three locomotives preserved by the association APCC6570: the CC6570, BB25660 and BB25639, demonstrating its heritage role in French railway history.
The technical innovation of this rotunda lies in the use of heavy prefabrication and mechanization of the yard, a pioneering method for the time. Its plan has been adapted due to urban constraints, but its functional and aesthetic architecture has made it a model for subsequent rail discounts. Materials, such as reinforced concrete and standard elements, reflect Lafaille's economic and structural resistance concerns.
Located at 96 avenue Pierre Semard in Avignon (Vaucluse), the rotunda is owned by the SNCF, a public establishment. Its inscription as a historical monument underlines its importance in the French industrial heritage, while the label "Heritage du XXe siècle" highlights its emblematic character of the reconstruction and modernization of infrastructures after 1945.
