Description of the attraction
Lausanne Town Hall was built between 1673-1675 between the Palu and Louv squares in the heart of the old quarters. The name of the Palu square, now lined with café tables, comes from the French word for malaria. This reminds us of the times when the area was swampy.
The town hall was erected on the site of the market, which had been operating here since the 14th century. Traditions turned out to be so strong that in our time spontaneous markets periodically appear under the Town Hall, where they sell flowers and food.
Lausanne City Hall was built by the architect Pierre Rebert. The construction work was supervised by the master Abraham de Krouzatz. The three-storey Town Hall, with its typical roof on Swiss farmsteads, was not only an administrative building. She also performed economic and defensive functions. So, on its ground floor there was a market hall, where traders sold their products in case of bad weather. A granary was set up in the next room. From a small clock tower that dominates the entire structure, the surroundings were monitored. The task of the guard was to inform about the fires that were occurring in the city so that they could be quickly extinguished. The alarm was raised by the sound of a bell.
The construction of the building is also interesting. If you look closely, it will become noticeable how the vertical axis is strengthened in the building with the help of simple architectural means. We clearly see the carved portal and the sharp spire of the tower, directed into the sky, and suddenly we notice how crowded the windows are and how narrower the arches are in the center of the facade.
