Hôtel Kegeljan-Godin - Namur

Former House Kegeljan, later City Hall of Namur .

An imposing building of ambitious dimensions in relation to its original function, representative of the eclectic style, mainly inspired by the Renaissance, with the date 1878 under the monogram KG (Kegeljan-Godin) which stands on the top floor of the strictly symmetrical limestone facade .

Franz Kegeljan was born in Namur in 1847 into a wealthy family. In 1868 he married Louise Godin , also from a wealthy background, which had the advantage that they could both retire. To keep himself busy, Franz takes lessons from Théodore Baron at the Namur art academy .

In 1878, the Kegeljan-Godin couple called on architect Hendrik Beyaert to build a house for them. Behind their house they have a beautiful garden and outbuildings such as stables for carriages. However, they move and sell the house to the city council . They are looking for shelter, because the old town hall was destroyed in the war. In 1937, the city council had new offices built in the garden and in 1939 the building of the Sint-Lodewijks Institute was purchased, thus enlarging the town hall.

After the municipal merger of 1977, the population of Greater Namur increased considerably and people did not want to see the city services fragmented over eleven buildings, spread across all those former municipalities. That is why the foundation stone of a new town hall was laid on October 23, 1981, near Huis Kegeljan.

After the construction of the new town hall, Huis Kegeljan will briefly become the seat of the chairman of the Walloon Government . The city then reclaims the house for its own use.

Willem Vandenameele