Salle d'oeuvres paroissiales Saint-Pierre de la cité n° 11 de la compagnie des mines de Lens, située à l'angle de la rue du Saint-Esprit et de la rue du Béarn
Monument
Salle d'oeuvres paroissiales Saint-Pierre de la cité n° 11 de la compagnie des mines de Lens, située à l'angle de la rue du Saint-Esprit et de la rue du Béarn, located in Lens (Pas-de-Calais), 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
- Lens, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 50.4404, 2.7885
- Mérimée Reference
- PA62000085
At the heart of the Cité Saint-Pierre in Lens, this neo-regionalist parish hall bears witness to the social ambitions of the Compagnie des Mines de Lens, which was reconstituted after the Great War in an exceptional community spirit.
History
Nestling on the corner of rue du Saint-Esprit and rue du Béarn, the Saint-Pierre parish hall is much more than a simple community facility: it embodies the soul of a mining town conceived as a village in its own right. Listed as a Historic Monument since 2009-2010, it is part of one of the most coherent heritage complexes in the Pas-de-Calais coalfield, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. What makes this building truly unique is its role as a cornerstone in the social life of the Cité Saint-Pierre. Inaugurated in 1907 and rebuilt after the destruction of the First World War, the Salle des fêtes et des œuvres paroissiales crystallises the paternalistic ideal of the Compagnie des mines de Lens: to offer its workers not only a roof over their heads, but also places to gather, to learn and to practice their faith. It forms part of a remarkable quadrilateral devoted to education and religion, alongside the schools, the former presbytery and the nuns' lodgings. The visit immerses visitors in the special atmosphere of the great mining towns of the North. The wide overhanging roofs and play on materials characteristic of the neo-regionalist style create a strong architectural identity, distinct from the industrial barracks one might imagine. The deliberate desire to provide the miners with a dignified living environment, almost bourgeois in its ambitions, is apparent here. The surrounding urban setting reinforces this immersion: the regular streets, allotments and workers' houses grouped in pairs evoke a social utopia at the turn of the 20th century. For lovers of industrial, architectural and social heritage, this site is a must-see when exploring the listed coalfield between Lens and Liévin.
Architecture
The Saint-Pierre Parish Hall is part of the neo-regionalist movement that marked the reconstruction of the Pas-de-Calais coalfield after the First World War. This style, deliberately rooted in the architectural traditions of northern France and Belgium, is distinguished by its wide overhanging roofs, its carefully matched brickwork and the great variety in the treatment of openings, cornices and façade decorations. Far from the utilitarian sobriety often associated with industrial architecture, the building displays a real aesthetic ambition, consistent with the desire of the Compagnie des Mines de Lens to offer its workers a rewarding living environment. Situated at the corner of rue du Saint-Esprit and rue du Béarn, the building stands at a crossroads, giving it a high profile and a role as an urban landmark within the town. Its scale, which is more imposing than the surrounding workers' houses, indicates its public and collective function. The articulated massing, with its steeply pitched roofs and variations in height, enlivens the overall silhouette and avoids the monotony of mass-produced buildings. The interior, designed to accommodate large parish meetings, celebrations and community events, featured a large multi-purpose hall extended by outbuildings and ancillary rooms. The whole complex blends harmoniously into the monumental quadrilateral that forms the heart of the Cité Saint-Pierre, where each building - school, presbytery, nuns' lodgings, village hall - helps to define an urban space of a coherence that is rare in French mining heritage.
Related Figures
Compagnie des mines de Lens — maître d'ouvrage de l'ensemble de la Cité Saint-PierreIngénieurs et architectes des Compagnies minières du Nord — concepteurs anonymes des cités ouvrières du Pas-de-CalaisAbbé desservant la paroisse Saint-Pierre — premier animateur des œuvres paroissiales inaugurées en 1907Directeur des écoles de la Cité Saint-Pierre — figure centrale du quadrilatère éducatif et religieuxSœurs enseignantes — résidentes des logements attenants, acteurs de la vie sociale et scolaire de la citéMineurs de la Fosse n° 11 — premiers habitants et usagers de la salle, reconstructeurs de la cité après 1918
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Salle d'oeuvres paroissiales Saint-Pierre de la cité n° 11 de la compagnie des mines de Lens, située à l'angle de la rue du Saint-Esprit et de la rue du Béarn located?
Salle d'oeuvres paroissiales Saint-Pierre de la cité n° 11 de la compagnie des mines de Lens, située à l'angle de la rue du Saint-Esprit et de la rue du Béarn is located in Lens, Pas-de-Calais department, Hauts-de-France region, France.
When was Salle d'oeuvres paroissiales Saint-Pierre de la cité n° 11 de la compagnie des mines de Lens, située à l'angle de la rue du Saint-Esprit et de la rue du Béarn built?
Salle d'oeuvres paroissiales Saint-Pierre de la cité n° 11 de la compagnie des mines de Lens, située à l'angle de la rue du Saint-Esprit et de la rue du Béarn dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Salle d'oeuvres paroissiales Saint-Pierre de la cité n° 11 de la compagnie des mines de Lens, située à l'angle de la rue du Saint-Esprit et de la rue du Béarn open to visitors?
Salle d'oeuvres paroissiales Saint-Pierre de la cité n° 11 de la compagnie des mines de Lens, située à l'angle de la rue du Saint-Esprit et de la rue du Béarn is currently closed to visitors.