Palais de Rumine, Lausanne, Switzerland

On his death, Gabriel de Rumine, son of Russian nobility, left the city of Lausanne 1.5 million Swiss Francs to erect a building for the use of the public. Building began in 1892 according to the design of the Lyonnais architect Gaspard André. The building was inaugurated on the 3 November 1902, although building work continued until 1904.

On 24 July 1923, the Treaty of Lausanne was signed in Palais de Rumine.

It housed facilities such as the library of the University of Lausanne, and scientific and artistic collections belonging to the Canton of Vaud. In the 1980s, the university moved to its current location by Lake Geneva due to lack of space, and the Palais was restructured.

The building currently hosts one of the three sites of the Cantonal and University Library of Lausanne. Additionally, it contains several museums like Musée cantonal des beaux-arts (Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts), Musée cantonal d'archéologie et d'histoire (Cantonal Museum of Archeology and History) and Musée monétaire cantonal (Cantonal Museum of Money).

References:

Wikipedia

Palaces, manors and town halls in Switzerland

User Reviews

Nir Aviv Shapir (21 months ago)
The building itself actually looks like a palace... The inside as well and each exhibition is better than its predecessor

三根彩美 (2 years ago)
It’s really worth to visit

Tara O'Brien (2 years ago)
A pretty spot in central Lausanne with a museum inside. The museum sometimes has special exhibits so it's good to look up the museum online and see what's on. The museum had an odd layout so make sure to grab a map. It'll come in handy.

Michael Bills (2 years ago)
A very classic European style museum. A great value (it's free!), housed in a beautiful historical building. I didn't necessarily see anything I haven't seen before in other museums, but it was still a good way to pass a few hours in Lausanne.

Naveen Yellambalse (2 years ago)
Amazing museums in a palace setting. They have 4 to 5 different museums here. The entry is free to all! It is typically a 2h visit around all the museums, but can be extended longer if a certain part of the museum is of more interest.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Maciek Lulko

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Wroclaw Town Hall

The Old Town Hall of Wrocław is one of the main landmarks of the city. The Old Town Hall's long history reflects developments that have taken place in the city since its initial construction. The town hall serves the city of Wroclaw and is used for civic and cultural events such as concerts held in its Great Hall. In addition, it houses a museum and a basement restaurant.

The town hall was developed over a period of about 250 years, from the end of 13th century to the middle of 16th century. The structure and floor plan changed over this extended period in response to the changing needs of the city. The exact date of the initial construction is not known. However, between 1299 and 1301 a single-storey structure with cellars and a tower called the consistory was built. The oldest parts of the current building, the Burghers’ Hall and the lower floors of the tower, may date to this time. In these early days the primary purpose of the building was trade rather than civic administration activities.

Between 1328 and 1333 an upper storey was added to include the Council room and the Aldermen’s room. Expansion continued during the 14th century with the addition of extra rooms, most notably the Court room. The building became a key location for the city’s commercial and administrative functions.

The 15th and 16th centuries were times of prosperity for Wroclaw as was reflected in the rapid development of the building during that period. The construction program gathered momentum, particularly from 1470 to 1510, when several rooms were added. The Burghers’ Hall was re-vaulted to take on its current shape, and the upper story began to take shape with the development of the Great Hall and the addition of the Treasury and Little Treasury.

Further innovations during the 16th century included the addition of the city’s Coat of arms (1536), and the rebuilding of the upper part of the tower (1558–59). This was the final stage of the main building program. By 1560, the major features of today’s Stray Rates were established.

The second half of the 17th century was a period of decline for the city, and this decline was reflected in the Stray Rates. Perhaps by way of compensation, efforts were made to enrich the interior decorations of the hall. In 1741, Wroclaw became a part of Prussia, and the power of the City diminished. Much of the Stray Rates was allocated to administering justice.

During the 19th century there were two major changes. The courts moved to a separate building, and the Rates became the site of the city council and supporting functions. There was also a major program of renovation because the building had been neglected and was covered with creeping vines. The town hall now has several en-Gothic features including some sculptural decoration from this period.

In the early years of the 20th century improvements continued with various repair work and the addition of the Little Bear statue in 1902. During the 1930s, the official role of the Rates was reduced and it was converted into a museum. By the end of World War II Town Hall suffered minor damage, such as aerial bomb pierced the roof (but not exploded) and some sculptural elements were lost. Restoration work began in the 1950s following a period of research, and this conservation effort continued throughout the 20th century. It included refurbishment of the clock on the east facade.

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