Halles Martenot
MonumentHidden Treasure
Halles Martenot, located in Rennes (Département 35), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Rennes, Département 35, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.1125, -1.6841
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090684
A jewel of cast iron and glass in the heart of Rennes, the Halles Martenot have been erecting their neo-industrial pavilions on the Place des Lices since 1871, a living legacy of seven centuries of Breton merchant life.
History
In the heart of Rennes, on the Place des Lices, where the fanfares of medieval tournaments once resounded, the Halles Martenot are one of the most remarkable covered market complexes in western France. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1990, these market halls, dating from the third quarter of the 19th century, elegantly embody the bold combination of traditional Breton construction and the daring metal architecture of the industrial era. What makes this complex truly unique is the coexistence of materials that everything seemed to oppose: the solid, centuries-old granite of Brittany meets the lightness of cast iron, wrought iron and glass, giving rise to airy structures that filter the light in golden sheets over the stalls. Far from the standardised halls of Paris, Martenot has created an architecture with a profoundly local identity, anchored in the urban landscape of Rennes. To visit the Halles Martenot today is to immerse yourself in an atmosphere that time has preserved and brought to life. On Saturday mornings, the fairground market invades the Place des Lices and the pavilions in a colourful bustle: market gardeners, cheese-makers, fishmongers and local craftsmen perpetuate a commercial tradition unbroken since the 15th century. The architecture almost disappears behind the crowds and the smells, before revealing itself in all its elegant sobriety at quieter times of the week. The urban setting that surrounds the halles adds to their appeal: the Place des Lices, one of the most beautiful in Rennes, is lined with timber-framed and stone-built town houses from another age. Between the cast-iron pavilions and the surrounding Renaissance facades, visitors can see several centuries of Rennes' history superimposed on one another in a single glance, forming a striking urban tableau that all heritage lovers owe it to themselves to discover.
Architecture
The Halles Martenot are part of the industrial architecture of the second half of the 19th century, when France saw a proliferation of large iron and glass halls inspired by the Parisian buildings of Victor Baltard. Each of the two main pavilions has a strict rectangular plan, 32 metres wide by 41 metres long, organised into seven bays in the width direction and nine in the depth direction, with each bay measuring 4.50 metres. This modularity, typical of metal structures at the time, ensures both clarity of the interior space and ease of movement between the stalls. The great originality of the whole lies in the skilful combination of materials with contrasting characteristics. Breton granite, which is robust and rooted in local tradition, forms the foundations and peripheral load-bearing elements, giving the buildings their roots in the soil of Rennes. Painted brick, with its lighter visual treatment, enlivens the façades with a discreet polychromy. The wrought iron framework forms the backbone of the pavilions, creating vast covered areas without massive intermediate pillars. Finally, the glass integrated into the roofs and high facades floods the halls with diffuse natural light, essential for displaying goods and for the comfort of users. The third pavilion, added by Leray in 1907, follows the same stylistic logic as Martenot's work, ensuring the coherence of the architectural ensemble. The repeated bays, semi-circular or segmental arches characteristic of the metal structures of the period and the play of zenithal light make the interior of the halls both functional and aesthetically accomplished, a precious testimony to the construction genius of the Second Empire and the nascent Third Republic.
Related Figures
Martenot — architecte rennais auteur du projet initial (1861) et des deux pavillons principaux livrés en 1871Leray — architecte auteur du troisième pavillon construit fin 1907Municipalité de Rennes — maître d'ouvrage ayant porté le projet dès 1828 et assuré la pérennité du marchéVictor Baltard — architecte parisien dont les Halles centrales (1851-1874) inspirent le mouvement des grandes halles métalliques en France
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Halles Martenot located?
Halles Martenot is located in Rennes, Département 35 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Halles Martenot built?
Halles Martenot dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Halles Martenot open to visitors?
Halles Martenot is currently closed to visitors.
