Hôtel Groslot, Renaissance private mansion in Place de l'Etape, Orléans, France.
The Hôtel Groslot is a 16th-century mansion on Place de l'Étape, built of red brick laid in diamond patterns with pale stone quoins, window surrounds and a stone base. Its central block has a steep roof with a clock and bell cupola, flanked by two Renaissance wings added after the city bought the building. A bronze statue of Joan of Arc by Princess Marie d'Orléans stands before the steps.
Jacques Groslot, bailiff of Orléans, bought the plot on Place de l'Étape in 1545 and began building the central block around 1549 under architect Jacques I Androuet du Cerceau. King Francis II installed his court there in October 1560 and died in the mansion on 5 December 1560. The city bought the building in 1738 and made it the town hall in 1790.
The building has carried several names: Grande-Maison de l'Étape, Maison du Gouverneur and l'Intendance, before being bought by the municipality in 1738 for 28,480 livres. Since 1981 the city's administrative services have moved to the building opposite, and the ceremonial rooms now host wedding celebrations.
The location sits beside Orléans Cathedral, making it easy to find while exploring the city center. Entry is free, though some rooms may be closed when wedding ceremonies are taking place inside.
The bronze statue before the steps is Joan of Arc by Princess Marie d'Orléans, placed there in the mid-19th century; it still bears bullet marks from the liberation of Orléans in August 1944. The building's four main rooms are the salon d'honneur, the former municipal council chamber, the former mayor's office and the wedding room.
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