Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The square Émile-Lechten is a public green space created in Belfort at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1911, the municipality acquired land in a workers' district to build a garden. From 1923, Émile Lechten, the city's gardener, designed a regular garden accessible to the public. This project is part of a desire for urban beautification and to offer a place of relaxation to the inhabitants.

The square includes two major sculptures: L'Age de Pierre (1925), work by Horace Daillon originally planned for the Jardin des Plantes in Paris, and La Fin de la Danse (1929), bronze by Fournier des Corats. A bust of poet Léon Deubel was added in 1935. The wrought iron gates and doors, made by local artisans Joseph Kern, Schick and Pietra, complete the layout. The square was named after Émile Lechten in 1961 when he retired.

Ranked a historic monument in 1992, the square includes in its protection the gate, the pond, statues, a niche-pergola and a chalet. Since its creation, the city has maintained the tradition of an annual floral mosaic, highlighting its cultural and landscape role in Belfort. Property and maintenance are the responsibility of the municipality, guaranteeing its preservation as a local heritage.

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