THE TOWN HALL AND ITS BELFRY
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City hall with a Flemish Renaissance belfry, a statue of Louis XIV and an imposing stained glass window in Dunkirk.
The belfry of the town hall, which is in a Flemish Renaissance style, was inaugurated in 1901 by the president of the Republic Émile Loubet and the Tsar Nicholas II. Made of red bricks and stone, 75 m high, it was partly destroyed during the Second World War, even if historical studies show the presence of a belfry in Dunkirk since 1223 on Place d'Armes (now Place Charles-Valentin). Above the central bretèche, note the statue of Louis XIV, who bought the city from the English in 1662. If it is impossible to visit the belfry, on the other hand, it is possible to enter through the massive and impressive main door (restored in 2018). You then enter the lobby of the town hall and after a few steps on the Great Staircase, you can admire the superb stained glass window of Félix Gaudin (1899) that celebrates the eminent privateer Jean Bart after his victory during the Battle of Texel. From the balconies of this town hall, during the annual carnival, custom dictates that the mayor throws klippers (smoked herring) to the crowd. Since 2005, the building has been registered as a UNESCO world heritage site.