Hôtel de Ville de Calais

Today we visited the Calais Town Hall, which was constructed between 1911 and 1925. It is a magnificent example of neo-Flemish architecture and is one of the few buildings in Calais to have survived WWII. Stained glass is used throughout the building, including on the ceiling of the main floor atrium. A sweeping staircase leads to meeting rooms on the second floor, which have beautiful woodwork on the walls and ceilings, lovely wrought iron chandeliers, and of course stained glass windows. Modern and historic murals, sculptures and other works of art adorn both the interior and exterior. The clock and bell tower rises an impressive 246 feet.

Auguste Rodin’s infamous 1895 bronze masterpiece, the six Burghers of Calais, stands in the centre of the courtyard in front of Town Hall. The life-size statue is remarkable from any viewpoint and the anguish of the men who were prepared to sacrifice their lives to save Calais in 1357 is extraordinarily portrayed. The gardens surrounding the statue are perfectly manicured and even at this time of year pansies are blooming.

Today's photo is taken looking out the main entrance of the Town Hall which faces directly towards the Burghers of Calais.

We also visited the nearby Lace Museum, which has original pieces dating back to the 1500’s. The museum documents the history and techniques for making lace with exhibits, garments, lace, sample books, tools, machines and other displays. Afterward we had a delicious lunch in the museum’s restaurant, which was prettily decorated to suit the theme. Naturally, I loved the museum so purchased some lace from the gift shop. K kindly indulged me.