City Hall

You are standing before Béziers’ City Hall, one of the city’s most symbolic landmarks. This eighteenth-century building occupies a unique site: this was the location of the Roman forum, then of the Consuls’ House in the Middle Ages. In other words, for more than two thousand years, the public life of Béziers has always been governed from this very spot. The building you see was rebuilt between 1742 and 1746 from plans by the architect Cadas. It reflects the elegant lines of French classical architecture, crowned by a belfry that replaced the former medieval tower. For a long time, this belfry housed a bell dating from 1600, inherited from the previous city hall. An inscription from the period, still visible inside, recalls the dates of construction and the names of the officials who oversaw the project. Inside, the Municipal Council Chamber is one of the building’s treasures. It is decorated with nine large frescoes painted in 1937 by Raoul Guiraud, a luminist artist of Catalan origin who settled in Béziers. These frescoes recount the history of the city from prehistory to the French Revolution: the arrival of Saint Aphrodise, the Roman city of Baeterrae, the Albigensian Crusade, and the tragic episode of the massacre of the gabelous in 1790, those agents in charge of the salt tax who were killed here in the Clock Tower before being thrown from the windows. As you enter the courtyard, you will also see the statue of the Camel, Béziers’ totemic animal. Listed as a Historic Monument, the City Hall still houses the municipal services while preserving the memory of the eras that shaped it. If you have the opportunity, do not hesitate to return during the Heritage Days: some rooms, including the Council Chamber, are exceptionally opened to visitors.