Charles Benvignat
Encyclopedia
Charles Benvignat was a French architect, especially active in Lille
, then undergoing major urban expansion.
in Paris, where he perfected his skills as a painter as well as an architect. Returning to Lille, he was entrusted with several private projects and church restorations. In 1833 he was made the Ecoles académiques's professor of architecture and held the post for 30 years. From 1842 he was responsible for several major public works -
He died without issue in 1877 and his tomb was paid for by the town council of Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
, then undergoing major urban expansion.
Life
He moved to Lille as a young man, being a brilliant student in the architecture class at the Ecoles académiques. His successes got him sent to the Beaux-ArtsAcadémie des beaux-arts
The Académie des Beaux-Arts is a French learned society. It is one of the five academies of the Institut de France.It was created in 1795 as the merger of the:* Académie de peinture et de sculpture...
in Paris, where he perfected his skills as a painter as well as an architect. Returning to Lille, he was entrusted with several private projects and church restorations. In 1833 he was made the Ecoles académiques's professor of architecture and held the post for 30 years. From 1842 he was responsible for several major public works -
- Expansion of the old théâtre Lequeux (1842)
- Restoration of the Vieille Bourse and restoration of its decor (1842)
- Column of the GoddessColumn of the GoddessThe Column of the Goddess is the popular name given by the citizens of Lille to the Memorial of the siege of 1792. The memorial is still in the center of the Grand' Place of Lille, and has been surrounded by a fountain since around 1990.-The Siege:The siege of September 1792 was one of the many...
, a 2-stage project (1845) - Sugar and wheat hall (initial project now mutilated) (1848)
- Palais Rihour, base of the mayor and museums (1849)
- Lycée making up the medicine school and sciences faculty (1844-55)
- Several churches, such as in the Moulins and Esquermes suburbs
He died without issue in 1877 and his tomb was paid for by the town council of Lille