Hôtel de ville à Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron

Descriptif

The Saint-Pierre d'Oléron town hall is a former seigniorial house dating from the 18th century.

It contains beautiful Aubusson tapestries and superb Arab arms. The grounds of this noble house have become a beautiful square, "Le Pré de la Mairie", where festivals and exhibitions are held...



On its façade, admire the sundial, one of three others created in the same period in Saint-Denis-d'Oléron, Saint-Georges-d'Oléron and Château d'Oléron, between 1850 and 1880.

It was painted on a plastered wall, then whitewashed in the traditional way.

It is the work of Abbé Chaumeil, a keen astronomer and mathematician who, immediately after his ordination to the priesthood, was appointed curate at Saint-Georges d'Oléron.

This sundial is the most complete of all, in the southern declination style. Forgotten for 60 years as a result of a series of renovations, this sundial was restored in 2019, with painting on a plastered wall, then whitewashed in the traditional way.

Today, it's one of the largest wall-mounted sundials in France.

A wealth of information is provided, including hours, half-hours, quarter-hours, diurnal arcs set to precise dates with the signs of the zodiac.