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Origin and history

Verdun Municipal Theatre, located at 9 Wharf General Leclerc, is an iconic building built at the end of the 19th century. It replaced a first theatre inaugurated in 1797, modified in 1835 by architect Cauyette, but deemed insufficient since the 1880s. This ambitious project aimed to provide Verdun with a cultural place worthy of major regional cities, such as Metz or Nancy.

The current neo-baroque theatre, inspired by Charles Garnier's Paris Opera, was designed by architect Paul Chenevier. Its construction, which began in 1892 on former slaughterhouses and a wheat hall, required 616 piles to stabilize the marshy soil on the Meuse river. It was inaugurated on November 4, 1893 in the presence of Raymond Poincaré, then minister, marking a turning point for local cultural life.

Gravely damaged during the Battle of Verdun in 1916 (destructed cupola, mutilated facade), the theatre was restored in the 1920s in accordance with its original style. The dome was repainted, the smoking room rebuilt, and new pictorial decorations added. No major changes have since altered its architecture, although technical improvements have been made over time.

Closed for security reasons since March 2017, the theatre awaits a restoration while its shows are temporarily relocated, notably to the Jeanne d'Arc church. Since 2018, it has been a symbol of the Verdunian heritage, combining local history and exceptional architectural heritage.

Its interior is distinguished by gilded stuccos, a dome decorated with frescoes, an orchestra pit, and four levels of lodges. The smoking room, offering a view of the Meuse, and its distribution in lodges make it a unique place in the department, designed to be a focal point of the cultural activities of Verdun and its region.

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