Grenoble - Isère, France
Posted by: 
denben
N 45° 11.558 E 005° 43.629
31T E 714219 N 5007967
The old Lesdiguières House has been housing the Grenoble City Hall from 1719 to 1967. Renamed the Maison de l'International, the former building was recently completely renovated.
Waymark Code: WMK1XY
Location: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Date Posted: 01/31/2014
Views: 8
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère and is an important European scientific centre. The city advertises itself as the "Capital of the Alps", due to its size and its proximity to the mountains.
Residency of the Dukes of Lesdiguières, the former town hall was built between 1600 and 1650 on the site of part of the Gallo-Roman rampart and actually pushed against one of the rampart towers, named the tower of the Treasury.
François de Bonne, first Duke of Lesdiguières, first built a strong house then his successors would expand the edifice in 1630 and 1650, giving it the size that we see today.
Inherited by the Villeroy family after the death of the last direct descendant of the Lesdiguières, the home was sold to the city of Grenoble in 1719 and would house the city hall from then until 1967.
The administrative services of the court of first instance in civil and criminal matters and the Attorney General would occupy the building until 2002.
Today, only the ground floor remains occupied, by the International Relations Service, with an exhibit area, a mayor's office branch, and a children's library.
Renamed the Maison de l'International, the former building was recently completely renovated.
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