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Origin and history

The guard corps and belfry of Condé-sur-l'Escaut, built at the end of the 18th century, were erected by royal and municipal decision in 1787. The project involved the destruction of five houses to expand the Place d'Armes, with funding shared between the king (15,186 pounds) and the city. The plans, drawn up in 1788, provided for a mixed-use building: military (guard corps, aubette) and civilian (bourgeois prisons, rented attices). The date of 1789, painted in facade, probably marks the completion of the work, led by the officers of the Engineers of Condé.

The architecture combines brick and blue stone, typical of the region, with a coated facade and decorative elements like a meridian. The quadrangular belfry houses a clock installed in the 19th century (renewed in 1857-58 and 1933) and a zinc lantern replacing the original lead. The adjoining houses (n° 22, 24, 26 place Pierre-Delcourt), built simultaneously, reproduce the style of the guard corps, forming a homogeneous ensemble. In the 19th century, maintenance was provided by the departmental architects Grimault (1844) and Dutouquet (1880).

In the 20th century, the second floor was used as rental housing until the 1950s, while the ground floor was home to shops such as the Café du Belfroi. In 2001, the municipality acquired part of the houses, and in 2005 the tourist office moved into the guard corps. The facades and roofs were protected by arrest in 2007. The property remains shared between the city (guard, belfry) and private (house n°22).

The interior features include "picardy" vaults (bricks) in the guard room, a structural staircase leading to the belfry, and wooden partitions from the 19th century to the second floor. Subsequent modifications (paintings, tile covers or fibrocement) partially altered the original appearance, but the ensemble retained a remarkable stylistic unit, illustrating the urban and architectural evolution of Condé-sur-l'Escaut.

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