Hôtel de ville de Pau

Hôtel de ville de Pau, the town hall of Pau in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, stands on Place Royale in the heart of the city. Its history is unusual: long before it became the seat of local government, the building spent decades operating as a theatre.

Why did the town hall start out as a theatre?

The plot on Place Royale was originally earmarked for something else entirely - a new church dedicated to Saint Louis, needed because the old Saint-Martin church had long since become too small for the growing town. That church project stalled, and local notables, faced with the deadlock, decided to put the site to different use and build a theatre there instead. In 1854, architect Gustave Lévy picked the project back up and construction got underway. The resulting Théâtre Saint-Louis opened its doors on 18 December 1862.

When did the theatre become the town hall?

For years the theatre ran as its own institution, but on 28 April 1876 the city council voted to buy the Théâtre Saint-Louis along with its outbuildings. Following renovation work, the town hall took full possession of the building in the autumn of 1878 and has occupied it ever since - the original auditorium is still there, still in use under the same roof.

What does the building look like?

The structure was built in the Second Empire style, in cut ashlar stone. Its auditorium, seating around 300, was decorated to match, with sculpted interior work produced by the Virebent workshop in Toulouse, a firm founded in 1830 by Auguste Virebent and known for its white terracotta pieces. In the 1890s the façade gained extra ornamentation: standing female figures were added on either side of the clock, and a seated figure was placed above it within the pediment, all made by the same Toulouse manufacturer.

What else is worth seeing on Place Royale?

The square in front of the town hall was laid out back in 1688, following a pattern common in French towns of the period, to display a statue of Louis XIV - later destroyed during the Revolution. Today the town hall closes off one side of the square, while its centrepiece is a statue of Henri IV, who was born in Pau. On the opposite side, the square opens onto a sweeping view of the Pyrenees, making Place Royale one of the most photographed spots in the city.

Is the town hall a protected monument?

Yes - in 2017 French authorities listed the building as a monument historique, a formal recognition of its architectural and historical value.

Frequently asked questions

What was the building originally meant to be? A new church dedicated to Saint Louis, but the project never got built and the site was used for a theatre instead.

When did the theatre that became the town hall open? On 18 December 1862, as the Théâtre Saint-Louis.

Since when has the building served as the town hall? The city bought the theatre in 1876 and moved its administration in during the autumn of 1878.

Who created the decorative work inside and on the façade? The sculpted decoration, including the 1890s statues, was produced by the Virebent workshop in Toulouse.

Is the town hall a listed monument? Yes, it has held monument historique status since 2017.

What is on the square in front of the town hall? Place Royale, laid out in 1688, home to a statue of Henri IV and a view stretching to the Pyrenees.