Vannes : Prefecture

Imitating the Louis XIII style, this building built in 1865 is a good example of the architectural achievements of the end of the 19th century. A decree of 1861 ordered the construction of the prefecture at the site of the old gendarmerie barracks. The plans had been presented in 1860 by the Aimé Departmental Architect. In 1864, the sculptor Le Merle produced the pediments of the Honor Court and the South Facade. The main staircase ramp was made by Albert Lefebvre. In June 1940, the Germans settled there. On July 22, 1945, General de Gaulle held an audience in the Deliberations of the Council. This room was renovated and decorated by Bompard, a marine painter, for the visit of the King of Cambodia in 1948. The building has a floor surmounted by a height. Its higher central part is crowned with a rounded pediment where the imperial eagle and two armed figures (nominoë and Alain Barbe-Torte, hero of Breton independence) are carved. An Eye-Boeuf lights up the dome to the top of the central pavilion. Two wings flank the court of honor. A vaulted passage, located under the left pavilion, leads to the outbuildings. The ground floor of the main building is reserved for ceremonial spaces. In the wings are the offices and apartments of the Secretary General. The park was designed by the English landscaper John Wallen between 1863 and 1865. In 1920, a granite building intended for the departmental archives was added to the whole.