The Town Hall of Neuchâtel

29 June 2021

The town hall (Hôtel de Ville) was built between 1784 and 1790 thanks to the fortune of David de Pury (1709-1786). The building was inaugurated in 1790. It was the project of superlatives for a city of 4,000 inhabitants.

The building was designed by architect Pierre-Adrien Paris (1745-1819); the quality of the materials and the brilliant solutions provided by craftsmen from all over Europe astounded the building committee, which was already worried about meeting the budget and deadlines.

This monumental building shows the city’s ambition. As of 1 January 2021, the town of 45,000 inhabitants will become the largest in the canton following the merger with Peseux, Cormondrèche/Corcelles, and Valangin.

Neuchâtel became the third-largest city in French-speaking Switzerland (the Romandie) and the eleventh-largest city in Switzerland. The town hall of 1790 was thus a visionary project.

(Source: www.gsk.ch).