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The town hall of Calais was built in 1885 on
a barren piece of land at the merging of the cities of Calais and
Saint-Pierre, between the two cities. It
was designed in the neo-Flemish style of the 15th century, by the
architect Louis Debrouwer. Work started in 1911, was interrupted by the
outbreak of war in 1914. Repair of war damage and the completion of the
building delayed its inauguration until 1925. It was again damaged in 1940.
The belfry 75 metres high, contains one of the most beautiful chimes
in the north of France. |
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On the first floor you can admire the large
lounge, the room of marriages and the room of the town council. On the
Staircase are the
superb stained glass windows, representing the re-conquest of the city, (from the English). |
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The statue of the Burghers Of Calais is outside
Calais Town Hall. Rodin spent 10 years of
research and study in it's creation. More than 100 years later, in March 2001,
the sculpture was restored in the gardens of the Villa Médicis Rome, for an
exhibition organized by the Rodin Museum . |