Hôtel de ville de Bazas

Hôtel de ville de Bazas occupies number 2 on the Place de la Cathédrale in Bazas, a small town in the Gironde department of southwestern France. The town hall forms part of one of the region's most photographed arcaded squares, standing alongside the Gothic cathedral of Saint-Jean-Baptiste and the town's old covered market.

When was the Bazas town hall built?

The first seat of municipal authority, known as the Présidial, went up in 1553. Back then a covered market hall separated it from the cathedral square. That arrangement lasted almost two centuries until 1729, when the town replaced it with a new stone building that absorbed the old market hall into its structure. The stated goal at the time was a building "more suitable for the convenience of the public, of officials, and for the decoration of the town" — a rare case where the original justification for a civic project survives in the record.

The façade itself dates to the 17th century, but decades of wear left it in poor condition. A full restoration followed in 1733, and it was during this campaign that the triangular pediment received the coat of arms of Bazas, a detail still visible on the building today.

What is inside the town hall now?

The ground floor of the former town hall now houses the Musée municipal de Bazas, the town's municipal museum. The building itself was listed as a monument historique by decree on 12 April 1965, formally recognizing nearly five centuries of continuous use as the seat of local government.

Why does the cathedral square matter so much?

The town hall cannot be separated from its setting: it sits on one of the best-preserved arcaded squares in the region. Directly beside it rises the Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998 as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France (Vézelay route). The cathedral was built in the 13th and 14th centuries over the remains of an earlier 5th-century structure, with its façade, nave, side aisles, and choir with five apsidal chapels completed under Bishop Arnaud de Pins between 1220 and 1246.

Local tradition holds that pilgrims also came to venerate a relic of the blood of Saint John the Baptist, said to have been brought from Palestine by a woman of Bazas present at his beheading. A pilgrim's guide from 1140 already lists Bazas as a stopping point for travelers coming from Limoges or Vézelay. The cathedral was sacked by Huguenot forces in 1577–1578 and rebuilt between 1586 and 1635. Bishop Arnaud de Pontac, appointed in 1572, paid a ransom of 10,000 gold écus to spare the cathedral's three portals from destruction — the same portals that still greet visitors today.

The square is completed by the 18th-century Présidial, a 19th-century market hall, and private mansions dating from the 12th to the 19th century, together forming a striking record of the town's architectural evolution.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is the Bazas town hall? The current building dates to 1729, replacing an earlier Présidial palace from 1553, with its façade restored in 1733.

Is the town hall a protected monument? Yes, it was listed as a monument historique by decree on 12 April 1965.

What can visitors see inside the building today? The ground floor houses the Musée municipal de Bazas, dedicated to the town's history.

Why is the square in front of the town hall linked to UNESCO? The adjacent Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998 as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela, giving the whole cathedral square its international significance.