Halles de Troyes
Historic site and monument , Town of art and history , Civic building , Halle at Troyes
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THE HALLS
Completed in 1876, the Halles was designed by the municipal architect Emile Bailly. This one is inspired by those Victor Baltard has just created in Paris, combining iron, cast iron and glass, to build one of the largest covered markets of this type.
The construction is typical of the 19th century due to its materials and its sober and slender lines: eighteen cast iron posts support the immense molded vault, formed by a triple flight of roofs separated by bay windows. The stone base supports a small wall of coloured bricks in which eight large doors open. The steel structure comes from the workshops of Le Creusot. A mezzanine was added to the complex in 1987.
During underground work, archaeological excavations carried out in Place Saint-Remy have revealed the traces of the former Unicorn College, a major centre of Trojan education since the Middle Ages, which previously occupied the Unicorn hotel (between today's Rue Gambey and the canal). It was installed there in 1617, on the occasion of an extension made possible when the Trojan humanist François Pithou, adviser to the King, and his brother Pierre, offered the city a set of houses and their precious library. The college remained in various forms until 1854. Its half-timbered houses were demolished in 1862.
The keystone of the Pithou portal is presented at the Vauluisant Museum.
Major renovation work on the façades and the glass roof of the covered passage was carried out in 2017.
From March 4 to May 29, 2019, the square in front of Les Halles was completely redesigned. This square of nearly 3,500 m² is covered with granite paving stones in the spirit of the redevelopment carried out in the city centre.
It welcomes foreign markets on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays mornings in optimal comfort and safety conditions.
As a result of this requalification, the City of Troyes is continuing its commitment, made some twenty years ago, to restore a quality urban space to users and to revitalize the city centre.
A touch of modernity is brought to the square of Les Halles thanks to La Feuille monumental, a work in microblasted stainless steel (microblasting is a surface treatment consisting of projecting microbeads onto a stainless steel or aluminium part).
One of the pride of this sculpture is that it was entirely made locally: designed by Thierry and Michèle Kayo-Houël (artists residing in Payns), with the assistance of the metalworking and ironwork company Arts et Forges (in La Chapelle Saint-Luc), and the Bonenfant Body Shop (in Buchères), it was finally transported and installed by Trans Manu Machines (based in Bréviandes), all with the support of the City of Troyes' services.
As you will have certainly noticed, the work is not unlike the iconic sculpture of the Heart of Troyes, created by the same artists, installed on the Quai des Comtes-de-Champagne.
But The Leaf is not only decorative, it is also useful because of its function as a guardrail and conceals the staircase hopper used as an emergency exit from the car park located under the square.
At night, coloured lighting allows you to discover the sculpture in a new light. Light will change with the seasons: orange in the fall, blue in winter, green in spring and red in summer.
This installation is completed by safety posts and two benches whose stainless steel backs reflect the design of the sculpture.
Today, Les Halles is one of the Troyens' favourite daily events: you can discover the delicacies and local products of Aube (fruit and vegetables, andouillette, cheese, champagne...) or more exotic ones, in a warm, friendly and particularly lively atmosphere at the weekend. -
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