The Belfry ''the firemen s tower'' The Belfry, created by the architect Marcel Mersier, has towered over Saint-Lô since 1954. Together with the church towers of Notre Dame and Sainte-Croix, it now forms part of the town s skyline. Also known as the firemen s tower, it was formerly used to dry the twenty metre long fire hoses vertically. The Belfry is the symbol of the rebirth of Saint-Lô. It stands twenty metres tall, and is topped with a weathervane representing a unicorn, the symbol of the town, showing the four points of the compass. Notice its open steps, its concrete pillars forming a cross which supports the spiral staircase, encasing a central shaft. At Christmas it is magnificently illuminated.
The Prefect s Mansion ''State and official residence Prefects have existed since Napoleonic times. They lived in the Prefecture or nearby. The Prefect s Mansion was designed by the architect Louis Arretche, and inaugurated on the 27th September, 1953. The mansion is the official residence of the Prefect nominated by the State. It symbolises the permanence of the French Republic. It is also a place where ceremonies, receptions and meetings are held and visiting dignitaries are welcomed. This building is remarkable for its architectural detail. Notice the narrow upper windows, the inverted columns, the foundation line, the ventilation triangles, the brown facade, the skylights and the balcony.
The Liébard walkway a social link and a memorial to dedication '' In 1932, a concrete walkway was constructed to allow residents of Saint-Lo to cross from the station to the enclosure. Bombardments in 1944 weakened the structure. In 1960, the walkway was destroyed. In 2004, contemporary landscaping of the sides of the river Vire provided an arched metal walkway, linking the station to the green river bank. It takes the name of Henri Liébard, dedicated mayor of Saint-Lô and the department of Manche. The structure is 67 metres long. The steel arc rests on two concrete piers. Note how the structure is embedded in the arc, its enlargement in the centre, its height to avoid flooding and its environmentally friendly materials.
Notre-Dame Church ''the green dressing for posterity Dating from the XIII century, this gothic church was damaged by the advance of the allies in 1944, and became a target in combat. Rather than reconstruct it as it had been before, the architect Yves-Marie Froidevaux chose to erect a great wall of green schist, which would cover its wounds like a dressing. The restoration was completed in 1974. The church is centred on Christian life, but is also a tourist attraction. It is an imposing feature of the town. Note the two white gothic remnants, highlighted by the green dressing behind; the different orientations of the green stones, the arches and the ancient and modern stained glass windows.
Pasteur College ''Education and Public Service'' Most of Saint-Lô s schools and colleges were destroyed in June 1944, so students had to attend classes in some of the rare, unscathed buildings, such at the Remonte, or in wooden sheds, donated to the town by various sources. Louis Pasteur College was built in 1967 on the historic site of the Irish Hospital (1945-1946). The college is a Local Public Learning Establishment. It comprises four separate buildings, owned by the General Council of the department of Manche. It is a prefabricated flat-roofed building made in reinforced concrete. Notice the repetition of the facades in pebble-dashed panels; the modern extension to the grounds and its two artworks, including the bust of Pasteur, made in 1973 by Gilles Augin.
The Ramparts ''military heritage'' The original ramparts were attributed to Charlemagne (Charles the Great), around 800 AD, to protect the town. In 1811, the Emperor Napoléon I decided to extend the town to the east, destroying part of the citadel. Little by little, new dwellings covered the old ramparts, but these were destroyed in June 1944. Architect in chief, André Hilt, led a project to recreate the green spaces and uncover the ramparts, once again displaying this military heritage. The ramparts bear witness to history. They are a real treasure in the landscape, with their towers, their gates, their firing points and their buildings. Home to a variety of events, they are also the subject of guided discovery tours, and represent the window on the town.
Sainte-Croix Church ''the oldest architectural treasure'' Remnant of a former abbey, this church is the oldest in Saint-Lô. Constructed in 1204 in the Roman style, it has evolved over the course of the centuries. Fighting in June-July 1944 caused some damage, and the steeple was blown up by German soldiers as the allies advanced. A fifty metre tall bell tower, designed by the architect Marcel Mersier replaced the steeple in 1954. Note the bell tower is separate from the main building, allowing you to see through its structure. Note also the tympanum depicting the miracle of Saint Laud and the Romanesque capitals in the church, with their carved scenes from the Christian story.
La rue Torteron ''the most famous commercial street'' In bygone days, the river known as The Torteron ran the length of the ramparts where it converged with the river Vire. Today it is enclosed in a pipeline below ground. Rue Torteron is one of the oldest commercial streets of Saint Lô. Shops were built on each side of the road, hiding the ramparts. The road was completely destroyed in 1944 and was rebuilt on one side only, with the purpose of exposing the grounds of the ancient citadel and its ramparts. The ground floor of the buildings are shops. The upper storeys are apartments or offices. The Majestic and the immeuble-pont (a building spanning the road) are outstanding buildings.
The Norman Milkmaid ''At the heart of the regional way of life'' The Norman milkmaid with her produce is the symbol of regional working life. The milkmaid delivered fresh milk to the doors of rue Torteron in Saint-Lô each morning. The sculptor Louis Derbré recreated the statue in 1986. It is a replica of the original statue by Arthur- Jacques Leduc, dating from 1890, which was situated in the Square des Beaux Regards, opposite Notre Dame and was melted down by the Germans in 1942. In realist style, this bronze statue portrays a peasant girl in a cotton bonnet, round-shouldered from her hard labour in the fields, her shoes mud encrusted, her milk churn on her shoulder. She carries some nettles. Sometimes she would come to town mounted on a donkey.
Le Normandy ''the concert hall'' This building was originally a riding centre forming part of the National Stud founded by Napoleon in 1806. It is one of the oldest of St Lô s buildings left standing after June 1944. After the war, it served as a prison, community centre and museum and as a cinema called Le Normandie. Today, The Normandy concert hall is one of 80 designated Contemporary Music Venues in France. Located in the town centre, the Normandy welcomes 20,000 spectators to 40 concerts each year. Note the long, simple and uncomplicated shape with its buttresses. Its painted arches echo the former windows. The superb wooden structure has been reproduced in the new stud on the road to Bayeux.
The Victorious Poilu (Tommy) ''memorial to the Great War'' The poilu (France s equivalent of the Tommy), patriotic republican monument of the Great War, was created by the sculptor Henri-Désiré Grisard in 1921. In June 1944, its allegory was lost. The statue can now be seen at the museum of Saint-Lô. Each November 11th, it is the historic focus and rallying point of French national remembrance. The Centenary commemorations revive the obligation of remembrance with a new dynamic. In realist style, the poilu is one of two monuments to the fallen of Saint-Lô. It is linked to another, forgotten statue; the mourner, an allegory for the pain of overwhelming grief, which can be seen in the municipal cemetery.
The prefecture ''Serving State and public'' The original Prefecture was completely destroyed on the 6th June 1944 during the Second World War. Reconstructed on the same site, the new prefecture was officially inaugurated on the 27th September, 1953. It is the work of the architect Louis Arretche. The Prefecture represents the State in the department of Manche, and brings together various administrative services. It is set at a right angle to the Prefect s Mansion. This monumental style building is notable for its architectural details. Note the inverted columns, the brown fascia panels, the narrow windows, the different form taken by each of its five storeys and the balcony.
The prison gate ''remembrance and commemoration'' The prison was built in 1824 in the town centre, alongside the court. Under the occupation, the Germans imprisoned Resistance fighters there. Most of them died in the bombardment of June 1944. The ruin is a remnant of the prison gate. It symbolises the memory of martyred victims of war. It has an important place in the duty of remembrance and departmental commemorations. The gate is characterised by a half dome with a vault. Note the layout, the funeral urn of the deported, the commemorative plaques and the various flags. The plants and garden form a contrast with the ruin.
Roanoke Bridge ''At the heart of the American twinning'' In 1960, there was only one bridge crossing the river Vire. Anxious to ease the flow of traffic crossing the Vire, the Mayor of Saint-Lô, Henri Liébard, decided to construct a second bridge, called Valvire. It was opened on the 27th November, 1963. It was renamed Roanoke Bridge in 1999, taking its name from the town in the American State of Virginia with which Saint-Lô is twinned. Bob Slaughter, a native of Roanoke was one of the heroes of 1944 who took part in the liberation of the town and who was deeply committed to the D-Day commemoration. Together, the two bridges, Vignaux and Roanoke, form a large gyratory system. Constructed of prestressed reinforced concrete, the Roanoke girder bridge is often decorated with flowers and draped with the American and French twinning flags.