Historic town hall in Limoges set on fire during French protests

Significant parts of the 143-year-old Limoges Town Hall in France have been destroyed in an arson attack, as protests broke out across the country over the weekend. On 17th October, Limoges Town Hall was set on fire. Videos taken by people on the ground show its slate roofs ablaze and its central bell tower collapsing. Officials have not yet confirmed the state of the town hall and whether the rest of the building is at risk of collapse, according to the BBC. Designed by French architect Charles-Alfred Leclerc, the neo-Renaissance Limoges Town Hall was built in 1883 and was listed as a historical monument in 1975. The neo-Renaissance Limoges Town Hall has been damaged in a fire An estimated 550,000 people in France took to the streets over the weekend to protest the rising cost of living and poor school conditions. Some demonstrations turned to violence and disorder, with hundreds of shops being looted and destroyed. Around 2,400 people have been arrested. In addition to Limoges Town Hall, other buildings in France were set on fire in arson attacks, including a tourist office in Lyon. The mayor of Limoges has demanded a "Notre-Dame plan" to restore the town hall. A huge fire broke out at the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris in 2019, which saw the Gothic landmark's 90-metre-high spire and parts of the roof collapse. After five years of reconstruction work, the cathedral reopened in 2024 with restored interiors and the spire rebuilt as a replica of the 1859 version lost to the fire. The top photo of Limoges Town Hall before the fire is by Sergey Dzyuba via Shutterstock. Subscribe to our newsletters Your email address New! Dezeen Agenda US Sent on alternate Fridays, this US edition of Dezeen Agenda is a fortnightly newsletter rounding up everything you need to know from America, featuring news, projects and interviews with industry figures. Plus occasional updates and invitations to Dezeen events. New! Dezeen Showroom New Releases A quarterly newsletter rounding up a selection of recently launched products by designers and studios, published on Dezeen Showroom. Dezeen Debate Our most popular newsletter, formerly known as Dezeen Weekly, is sent every Tuesday and features a selection of the best reader comments and most talked-about stories. Plus occasional updates on Dezeen’s services and breaking news. Dezeen Agenda Sent every Thursday and containing a selection of the most important news highlights. Plus occasional updates on Dezeen’s services and invitations to Dezeen events. Dezeen Daily A daily newsletter containing the latest stories from Dezeen. Dezeen In Depth Sent on the last Friday of every month, Dezeen in Depth features original feature articles, interviews and opinion pieces that delve deeper into the major stories shaping architecture and design. Dezeen Jobs Daily updates on the latest design and architecture vacancies advertised on Dezeen Jobs. Plus occasional news. Dezeen Jobs Weekly Weekly updates on the latest design and architecture vacancies advertised on Dezeen Jobs. Plus occasional news. Dezeen Awards News about our Dezeen Awards programme, including entry deadlines and announcements. Plus occasional updates. Dezeen Events Guide News from Dezeen Events Guide, a listings guide covering the leading design-related events taking place around the world. Plus occasional updates and invitations to Dezeen events. Dezeen Awards China News about our Dezeen Awards China programme, including entry deadlines and announcements. Plus occasional updates. We will only use your email address to send you the newsletters you have requested. We will never give your details to anyone else without your consent. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of every email, or by emailing us at [email protected]. For more details, please see our privacy notice. Thank you! You will shortly receive a welcome email so please check your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of every newsletter.