new article about building in FranceNew page{{Short description|Town hall in Forbach, France}}{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2026}}{{Infobox building| name = {{Lang|fr|Hôtel de Ville|italic=no}}| image = ForbachL1080772 (2).jpg| image_size = 300px| image_caption = The main frontage of the {{Lang|fr|Hôtel de Ville|italic=no}} in June 2017| coordinates = {{coord|49.1864|N|6.8955|E|type:landmark_scale:1000_region:FR|display=inline,title}}| building_type = City hall| architectural_style = [[Modern architecture|Modern style]]| location = [[Forbach]], France| groundbreaking_date = | construction_start_date=| completion_date =1974| opened_date = | inauguration_date = | renovation_date =| demolished_date = | destruction_date = | height = | architect = Roland Flageul and Guy Bourdon}}The '''{{Lang|fr|Hôtel de Ville|italic=no}}''' ({{IPA|fr|otɛl də vil}}, ''[[City hall (administration)|City Hall]]'') is a municipal building in [[Forbach]], [[Moselle (department)|Moselle]], in northeastern France, standing on Avenue Saint-Rémy.==History==Under the [[ancien regime]], the aldermen of the town met in the maison communale (municipal building), which incorporated cells for incarcerating petty criminals, in the town square on Rue Sainte-Croix.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=L4QfAAAAMAAJ |title= Forbach la ville et le canton pendant la Révolution française, 1789–1799|first= Henri|last= Wilmin |year= 1980|page=13}} In early 1839, the town council led by the mayor, François Antoine Constantin Barrabino, decided to demolish the old maison communale and to commission a purpose-built town hall in the town square. The new building was designed in the [[Neoclassical architecture|neoclassical style]], built in [[ashlar]] stone and was completed in 1843.{{cite web|url=https://www.republicain-lorrain.fr/edition-de-forbach/2018/09/02/l-ancienne-mairie-de-forbach-sur-la-place-du-marche |title=L'ancienne mairie de Forbach sur la place du marché|date=3 September 2018| access-date=26 October 2026}} The design involved a symmetrical main frontage of ten bays facing onto the square with the end bays slightly projected forward. The central section of eight bays was fenestrated by round-headed windows on the ground floor, and by square-headed windows with [[cornice]]s on the first floor. The end bays featured round-headed doorways with [[voussoir]]s on the ground floor and [[casement window]]s with pediments on the first floor and, at roof level, there was a clock above the centre of the building.{{cite web|url=http://almg.free.fr/forbach/placedumarcheetmairie.htm |title=La place du marché et l'ancienne mairie| publisher= Forbach à l'ancienne| access-date=26 October 2026}}In March 1945, during the [[Second World War]], the old town hall was irreparably damaged in fighting as American troops sought to liberate the town. The council established temporary premises first at the Tribunal d'Instance on avenue du Général-Passaga and then, in 1946, in the old Bank of Forbach building on Rue Sainte-Croix.{{cite web|url= http://www.forbach-histoire.fr/Forbach_Histoire/Publications_files/Mairie40ans_web.pdf |title= Mairies d'hier|publisher= Chroniques de Forbach et sa région | page=19|access-date=26 October 2026}} The [[president of France]], [[Charles de Gaulle]], met with council leaders in this building on 2 July 1961,{{cite news|url= https://www.republicain-lorrain.fr/politique/2020/11/11/de-gaulle-a-forbach-c-etait-le-2-juillet-1961 |title= De Gaulle à Forbach: c'était le 2 juillet 1961|date=11 November 2020| newspaper= Le Républicain Lorrain| access-date=26 October 2026}} and his successor, [[Georges Pompidou]], delivered a speech outside the building on 14 April 1972.{{cite news|url= https://www.ina.fr/ina-eclaire-actu/video/i00013909/georges-pompidou-et-les-mineurs-lorrains |title= Georges Pompidou et les mineurs lorrains|date=14 April 1972|newspaper= L'INA| access-date=26 October 2026}}In 1969, following significant population growth, the council led by the mayor, Jean-Éric Bousch, decided to commission a modern municipal building. The site they selected had been occupied by the Convent of the Sisters of Providence of Saint-Andrew which had been founded by Abbot Antoine Gapp in 1820.{{cite news|url= https://www.republicain-lorrain.fr/societe/2022/08/04/connaissez-vous-l-histoire-du-vieux-couvent-de-forbach |title= Connaissez-vous l'histoire du vieux couvent de Forbach?|date=4 August 2022|newspaper= Le Républicain Lorrain| access-date=26 October 2026}}{{cite news|url= https://www.radiomelodie.com/podcasts/14443-a-la-decouverte-du-couvent-de-forbach |title= À la découverte du couvent de Forbach|date=12 October 2026|newspaper= Radio Mélodie| access-date=26 October 2026}}{{cite web|url= http://almg.free.fr/forbach/abbegapp.htm |title= L'Abbé Gapp et le vieux couvent|publisher= Forbach à l'ancienne| access-date=26 October 2026}} The foundation stone for the new building was laid in June 1971. It was designed in the [[Modern architecture|modern style]] by Roland Flageul, with interior design by Guy Bourdon, built in concrete and glass and was completed in October 1974.{{cite web|url=https://www.itinerairesdarchitecture.fr/ficheop.php?id=590 |title= Hôtel de Ville |publisher=Itinéraires d'Architecture |access-date=26 October 2026}}The design involved a low-profile main frontage, which was {{convert|77|metres}} long, facing onto Avenue Saint-Rémy. There was a short flight of steps leading up to a glass entrance with a [[Canopy (architecture)|canopy]] at centre of the building. The rest of the building was fenestrated by a series of [[chamfer]]ed windows on all three floors. Internally, the principal rooms were the Salle des Mariages (wedding room) and the Salle du Conseil (council chamber).{{cite news|url= https://www.republicain-lorrain.fr/politique/2026/04/14/conseil-municipal-avec-constitution-des-commissions-de-travail-et-vote-du-budget-2026 |title= Conseil municipal avec constitution des commissions de travail et vote du budget 2026|date=14 April 2026| newspaper= Le Républicain Lorrain| access-date=26 October 2026}} These rooms were accessed up a grand staircase which was lit by a stained glass window created by the master glassmaker, Arthur Schouler.{{cite news|url= https://www.republicain-lorrain.fr/edition-de-saint-avold-creutzwald/2017/07/15/saint-avold-les-souvenirs-d-arthur-schouler |title= Saint-Avold: Les souvenirs d'Arthur Schouler|date=17 July 2017| newspaper= Le Républicain Lorrain| access-date=26 October 2026}}==References=={{reflist}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Hotel de Ville, Forbach}}[[Category:City and town halls in France]][[Category:Government buildings completed in 1974]][[Category:1974 establishments in France]]