Town hall of Versailles

The town hall of Versailles such as there exists today was built starting from 1899 on order of the mayor of the time Edouard Lefebvre and was inaugurated the November 18th 1900.

History of the building

It is in 1670, on the initiative of Bernardin Gigault, marquis de Bellefonds and Marshal of France (1630 - 1694), governor of the Chenil S and the Louveterie of the King, that rises to current the 4 of the avenue of Paris, a very beautiful residence whose gardens extend to the park from the castle. Vis-a-vis him, on the other side of the avenue, the hotel of the Large Huntsman, disappeared today, gives him the counterpart with an equal magnificence. But the building work of the Royal Stables (current national school of architecture of Versailles) depriving the marshal of his royal prospect, it sells its hotel with the Chevalier of Lorraine. Louis XIV acquires it in 1680 for Louis de Bourbon, count de Vermandois, his legitimated son, who dies prematurely three years later. The property returns then to his/her sister, the princess of Conti, which in fact a place of festivals snuffed of all the court. Sold with a Speculator which disperses movable, works of art, skirting and ornaments, the hotel is finally repurchased in 1723 by Louis XV to place there Louis IV Henri de Bourbon-Cop, Duc of Bourbon, Grand Master of its Maison. Important work of decoration, where painters and sculptors compete of creativity and virtuosity, is undertaken under the direction of Robert de Cotte, first architect of the King and disciple of Mansart. Following the example princess of Conti, the duke of Bourbon organizes in his center of sumptuous receptions. He opens even the gardens with the public to facilitate the communication between the districts Saint-Louis and Notre-Dame, in full rise.

Unoccupied with the Revolution, the hotel accommodates temporarily in January 1790 the Municipalité of Versailles, hitherto lodged in a royal furniture depository, street of the Tanks.

At the origin envisaged " for six mois" , the installation is officialized by a Emphyteutic lease in 1821. From this time the prolongation dates besides from the street Royale towards the avenue of Paris. The building, whose entry is carried out by the avenue of Berry (current avenue of the Général de Gaulle), is decorated of a surmounted pinnacle of a clock.

In 1859, the city becomes officially owner of the hotel. But Versailles is in full expansion and, in spite of multiple alteration work, the buildings quickly prove too exiguous.

The hotel is finally demolished in 1899 on order of the mayor of the time, Edouard Lefebvre.

Rebuilt by the Of Versailles Henri Large the, it is surmounted by a Campanile dominating the city and opens from now on on the avenue of Paris around a main courtyard surrounded by grids. Inaugurated the November 18th 1900, the building loses its Campanile too high, judged, in 1945, while the grids of the main courtyard disappear.

Anecdotes

In 1968, the room of reception, the room of the marriages as well as the hall of honor of the town hall were used as decorations with the film Hibernatus of Edouard Molinaro.

External bonds

Site of the town of Versailles

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