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.
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