Prefecture hotel of Loir-et-Cher, French administrative building
The Prefecture hotel of Loir-et-Cher is an administrative building in Blois constructed in the classical style of the 19th century and protected as a historic monument. The main facade features a central entrance pavilion with two rows of columns and a small pediment, while behind it stretches a park with trees.
The original building began as a convent for the Visitandines, a religious community that built wings around a cloister between 1635 and 1655. After the French Revolution, the building changed uses several times until it was converted into a prefecture hotel in 1826 and became the nucleus of the city's administrative district.
The building occupies a central position in Blois and shapes the image of the city's administrative core. It reflects the importance that French administration placed on local government by creating a solid and visible presence in the urban landscape.
The building today serves as a workplace for local administration but is open for guided tours during European Heritage Days. Visiting requires advance registration since group sizes are limited to keep the experience comfortable and organized for everyone.
Inside are furnishings specially made by the renowned craftsman Bellange, and there is a blue salon with two chairs that once belonged to Versailles. These valuable pieces were brought to Blois during troubled times and are a rare example of original furniture from this era.
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