In my nostalgic saga of my family visits to wonderful places in my belle France, we found one sublime City, Take your time to visit Rouen, it is sublime to say the least and of course , a must to visit, The gorgeous city in the Seine-Maritime dept 76 of the region of Normandie. We have come here often many times, and glad to finally be back again, this time from the Morbihan breton ! . I have my wonderful memories with family visits and even if we are fewer today, the memories lingered forever, I like to tell you more of the Hôtel de Ville (city hall) and Garden of Rouen !!! ,Hope you enjoy the post as I.
An interesting architecturally and historical building in Rouen is its City/Town Hall serving since 1800 in the Place du Général-de-Gaulle , installed in the former dormitory of the monks of the Saint-Ouen Abbey (see post), The square is elliptical pedestrian with the representation of the signs of the zodiac and an underground car park, As the city hall building burned down during the night of December 30 to 31, 1926, the archives from the 1800-1926 period were burned. Only the marriage hall and that of the municipal council were spared by the flames. Many paintings and statues including that of Louis XV were saved from damage. A bit of bus in Rouen and City Hall !
The Hôtel de Ville or City/Town Hall has a long history and already written before on it so will condense the text here with new pictures. It is attested from 1191-1192, and was located near the Saint-Éloi Church. In 1220, the city hall was near the present rue du Gros-Horloge, The city purchase between the rue aux Juifs, the rue du Gros-Horloge, the rue Massacre and the passage from the rue du Gros-Horloge to the rue aux Juifs. It is on this site that the Jacques Gabriel building will be built. At that time and until the French revolution, the city hall or town hall resided in the manor of Du Chastels. The building was completed in 1529.
The Gothic building, too small and threatening ruin in 1606, the city hall was rebuilt from June 1607 ; it was in a Florentine style in stone with bosses. To solve the problem of space, a project of construction of a new city hall was decided in front of the place du Vieux-Marché, on the axis leading from the cathedral to the hospital. Work began in 1758, but was interrupted in 1765 for lack of money. There are still foundations in the rue Thomas-Corneille. Built from 1717 to 1721, the Hôtel de la Première Présidence housed the city hall offices from January 1791 to May 1800. On May 30, 1800, the city hall was moved into the former Saint-Ouen abbey dormitories, which had been in disuse since November 1790. In 1825, the building was transformed ; composed of two floors, two wings and a central peristyle, which constitutes on the ground floor the vestibule of honor, surmounted by a colonnaded box and crowned by a pediment, to which is affixed a clock. The facade on the garden side has not been modified. On August 15, 1865, the statue of Napoleon was inaugurated, As the city hall building burned down during the night of December 30 to 31, 1926, the archives from the 1800-1926 period were burned. Only the marriage hall and that of the municipal council were spared by the flames. Many paintings and statues including that of Louis XV were saved from damage., and the building was rebuilt in 1928.The bombings during WWII did not spare the new construction. On April 19, 1944, the south staircase was completely destroyed by a bomb, It was rebuilt.
The official Hôtel de Ville (City hall) of Rouen : https://rouen.fr/hotel-ville
The Jardin de l‘Hôtel-de-Ville is laid out in a portion of the former gardens of the Saint-Ouen abbey. it is the first public garden of the city. On the vast undulating lawn, under a place of relaxation, halfway between the urban park and the meadow, this Jardin de l’Hôtel de Ville garden is also a pedestrian passage that connects the city center to the Saint-Nicaise and Saint-Vivien districts. Created at the beginning of the 19C on the land adjoining the Saint-Ouen abbey, the gardens astonish by this mix of styles that invites discovery. Located at the foot of the Hôtel de Ville, their historical core “à la française” radiates around a large round pool, an aquatic setting for a sculpture evoking the kidnapping of Dejanira by the Centaur Nessus (above pic). Note also the presence near the Portail des Marmousets of the exact reproduction of the Jellinge stone (below pic) in Denmark, a thousand years old, offered to the City of Rouen on the occasion of the millennium of Normandy in 1911.
A historic garden therefore, but also a contemporary space. Separated by an alley of chestnut trees which extends the pedestrianized rue de l’Abbé-de-l’épée, a large playground has brought together toddlers and older children since the extension of the garden in 1982. The lawn then descends in a gentle slope towards the goldfish basin… And in the background, the apse of the Saint-Ouen abbey church completes the look of the countryside. Not far from there, are visible a stone statue of Rollon (need to tell you Rolf the Walker, or Rollon or more rarely Robert I the Rich, born in Scandinavia around 846 and died in Rouen around 932. Became Jarl of the Normans of the Seine and Count of Rouen, in 911, Rollon later by expansion created the Duchy of Normandy) . and a bronze bust of the Belgian poet Émile Verhaeren, who died accidentally in Rouen station in 1916. Against the north wall of the garden stands a méridienne (daybed). The monument, formerly leaning against the old City Stock Exchange, on the quays, was moved to the garden in 1826. The monument dates from the 18C and was commissioned by the Consuls of Rouen in 1753. The sculpted decoration represents two allegories of trade and time.
The City of Rouen on the City hall garden : https://rouen.fr/hdv
The Rouen tourist office on its heritage : https://en.visiterouen.com/
There you go folks, a nice historical Hôtel de Ville and it’s garden one to be visit, me think. It was a nice relaxing moment and great walks for our dog Rex !! He met several friends !!! Worth the detour for the whole familly indeed! Another nice place to see in wonderful Rouen. Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Hôtel de Ville (city hall) and Garden of Rouen !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 