Marchiennes hotel

The Hôtel des Marchiennes

The Lille audio-guided tour points out to you an arch listed as a historic monument, which seems a little lost in this modern part of the city centre. It conceals behind it the Hôtel des Marchiennes, a piece of history that has resisted time.

A refuge for the monks of Marchiennes

In 1620, the abbot of Marchiennes bought two houses inside the fortifications of Lille and had a place of refuge built there for the occupants of the abbey of Marchiennes, located about thirty-five kilometres away. The refuge served to shelter the monks and the goods of the abbey in case of unrest or war. The arch and the mansion are today listed as historic monuments, precious vestiges of this past.

What there is to see

The sculpted arch, isolated among the modern constructions, surprises by its presence and its beauty. It opens onto the Hôtel des Marchiennes, a witness to the architecture of the seventeenth century and to the role of the abbeys in the life of the region. It is a stop for the curious about history, which reveals a discreet heritage in the heart of contemporary Lille.

Practical information

The Hôtel des Marchiennes and its arch are in the centre of Lille. The arch, listed as a historic monument, can be contemplated freely from the street, at all hours and on the level. The building, largely private, cannot be freely visited.

What was the Hôtel des Marchiennes for?

As a place of refuge, from 1620, for the monks and the goods of the abbey of Marchiennes, in case of unrest or war.

Where is the Hôtel des Marchiennes?

In the centre of Lille, marked by its arch listed as a historic monument, among more modern constructions.