Town Hall and Belfry

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Belfry, located at the heart of the Saint-Sauveur district, was added like icing to a cake, to the recently completed town hall building. It represents the industrial age of a booming city. As we saw in Art Deco,  the use of concrete in modern buildings was becoming fashionable, and the architect of the Town Hall and its belfry indulges in it. It’s worth knowing that during the Middle Ages, a belfry was used to manifest the power of the bourgeoisie in contrast to church steeples, which ultimately displayed the power of the clergy. Here the 104 metres high belfry demonstrates the power of the city council and the freedom of the northern cities. Of course it has obtain the UNESCO World Heritage designation. Now observe it closely, you’ll see that it is supported by the statues of 2 giants. They are the giants of Lille’s legend, Lyderic and Phinaert. You’ve probably heard of them; they go back to the year 620! Prince Salvaert was on the run with his wife Ermengaert and the child she was carrying. As they arrived in the unforgiving forests of Flanders, they were ambushed by a robber called Phinaert. Salvaert was killed but Ermengaert escaped. She managed to give birth to her son Lyderic and to entrust him to a hermit before being captured by Phinaert. Twenty years later, Lyderic requests a judicial combat from the righteous King Dagobert and finally avenges his father and frees his mother. The King gave him the castle of Buc and the lands of Phinaert. Lyderic became the first Prince of Flanders and founded the city of Lille. The processional giants, when not on parade, are exhibited in the town hall