It is an emblematic building that many Rennais people know by sight. But without necessarily knowing what it contains. Located on Rue de la Monnaie, a few dozen meters from Saint-Pierre Cathedral and Place de Bretagne, the Hôtel d’Artillerie actually no longer accommodated many people. Built at the end of the 15th century on the ramparts of the first medieval wall of the city, this prestigious building was in turn an episcopal school, a place of coinage and the first town hall of Rennes.
The building was then bought by the Army, which installed an artillery school there and then an officers’ mess until its decommissioning in 2015. It overlooks the Duchesne Tower, a tower built in 1444 and listed as a historic monument. since 1944 which is also state property.
An opening to the public planned for 2026
Declared useless to the Ministry of Defense, the assembly has just been sold on Friday to a consortium of companies for an amount which has not been disclosed. The new owners plan to rehabilitate and transform the site to make it a “flagship living space” in the heart of the city. We already know that a restaurant and its terrace will overlook the ramparts.
The future site, which should open its doors to the public in 2026, will also offer cultural programming with exhibitions and conferences and will welcome the teams from One Point, an architectural consultancy firm which is one of the project leaders.