8 Iconic Buildings to Explore in Hauts-de-France

The City Hall Lille is located place Roger Salengro in the neighborhood Saint-Sauveur. It was classified as a historic monument in May 2002 and its belfry, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. This site is served by the Mairie de Lille metro station. Its belfry should not be confused with that of the Chamber of Commerce, also emblematic of the city of Lille. It is the tallest belfry in Europe.

A well preserved castle ruin which was located in the commune of Saint-Michel-de-Boulogne. The castle was built in the eastern corner of the medieval city and thus became an integral part of its defenses. At present the castle houses a museum. The museum however is just a regular world history museum and not related to the castle's history. This is a beautiful castle in a very nice old town.

The Lille Citadel is a military structure built in the xvii th century for the defense of Lille and in the backyard. Baptized by Vauban himself the “queen of the citadels” , the military structure is remarkable for its size, the quality of its architecture, and its current state of conservation. The citadel was classified as a historic monument.

A beautiful and majestic castle located in a field next to the village of Condette, and south of the city of Boulogne-sur-Mer. The first castle at this place was built in the 12th century by the Counts of Boulogne. The present castle was built by Count Philippe Hurepel of Clermont in 1222. The castle was captured several times by the French, the English, and the Burgundians.

Musée de l'Hospice Comtesse is an institution founded in 1237 by Johanna of Constantinople in Lille. The hospice was subsequently used as a home for the elderly, a function it retained until 1939. After serving as a depot, it was set up as a museum from 1962, with an emphasis on the history of the city and the hospital itself. The hospice is home to a museum and also a venue for exhibitions and concerts.

La Vieille Bourse is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious monuments in the city. Located between the Grand'Place and the Place du Théâtre, it is one of the witnesses of the intense economic activity that took place in Lille during the Grand Siècle. It was classified as a historical monument in 1921 and 1923. The quadrangular building is in fact an interlocking of 24 identical residences that contain what is called the inner courtyard, a place where booksellers, florists, chess players, stroll

A beautiful and majestic 13th-century watchtower which was located at Place d'Armes behind the Hotel de Ville in Calais, Northern France. It was been used as a lighthouse till 1848, then it becomes a watchtower. it also served as a military post in the first world war. One of the good locations to visit in this place which gives an idea about the history of France and its architectural intelligence.

A beautiful castle which was located in Croix, in the Nord department. It was commissioned by Paul Cavrois, a Roubaix textile industrialist, to the Parisian architect Robert Mallet-Stevens. Its beautiful shape and sand-colored brick cladding made it a unique and modern villa. . The villa was used as a barracks by the German occupiers during World War II. It is listed as a historical monument since 1990.