Victory Column and Town Hall

This elegant column crowned with a winged victory raising a laurel wreath skyward honours those who gave their lives in the First World War. It's been protected as a historical monument since 2007 and stands with quiet dignity before Saint-Denis Town Hall. The town hall itself, built in 1860, also enjoys historical monument status, and there's quite a story behind its construction. When a municipal government was established in Bourbon after the French Revolution, in 1790, the mayor first set up his office where the Grand Market stands today. For a while, the municipality worked out of a rented private house… all the while dreaming of a building truly worthy of their ambitions. They eventually chose what was known as the old square : the place where all the administrative buildings from the East India Company era had once stood. The foundation stone was laid in 1846, but then, construction came to a halt. It would take the Second French Empire to finally get things moving again. The wait was worth it: recently renovated, the grand salon has reclaimed its former grandeur and stands as Réunion's finest example of Napoleon III architecture. The inner courtyard is magnificent, where you'll find a fountain with an amusing backstory. It was originally destined for the cathedral square, but its semi-nude statues caused such a scandal among the local population that it was relocated in the town hall courtyard instead. If you want to explore more of Saint-Denis town hall, the tourist office offers paid guided tours.