Troyes Town Hall

In the 17th century, Louis XIII gave permission to use a small part of the income from the tax on wine and salt to build a new town hall.

The building was therefore built gradually and was not finished until around 1672. In 1933 and 1937 two wings were added to the rear by architect F. Balley.
The central facade, with its blue Tournai marble columns, has a niche with a helmeted Minerva, replacing a statue of Louis XIV that was destroyed during the French Revolution.
On the monumental mantelpiece in the council chamber there is still a large wooden medallion with the image of this king, sculpted in 1687 by the Trojan François Girardon (1628-1715).
Another memorable trace of the Revolution on the facade is the revolutionary motto that was displayed on all French town halls at the time: "Unité, Indivisibilité de la République, Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité ou la Mort" ("Unity, Indivisibility of the Republic, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity or Death").

willem vandenameele