Théodore Ballu

Théodore Ballu ( born June 8, 1817 in Paris, † May 22, 1885 ) was a French architect and winner of the Prix de Rome in Architecture.

The work of the Grand Théodore Ballu seems all too often to the realization of Trinity church of La Trinité (Paris) and the transformation of the Hôtel de Ville to be reduced of Paris City Hall. Even if this works both accounted for a large part of his career, so they obscure but his broad oeuvre that manifests itself in a variety of public buildings, mostly of a religious nature, and private buildings.

The big prize of Rome

Approved by the École des Beaux -Arts in 1835, Ballu was a student of Louis -Hippolyte Lebas, the architect of Notre -Dame-de -Lorette. At the age of only 24 years in 1840, he received the Grand Prix de Rome. So the young winners left Paris for Rome to become boarders of the " Académie française a Rome ". He lived from January 1841 to December 1845 at the Villa Medici. This break in the heart of the " Eternal City " did not stop him from having to visit the famous ruins of the ancient Greek civilization.

The Parisian architect

After his return to Paris Théodore Ballu assistant of the architect François- Chrétien Gau (1790-1856) at work on the Basilica of Ste- Clotilde. After the death of Gau he was the main architect responsible for the work. In 1860, he eventually became the main architect in charge of the city of Paris for religious buildings. Since then, he realized the Église de la Trinité (1861-1867), the temple de la rue d' Astorg and the churches of Saint -Ambroise (1863-1869) and Saint -Joseph ( 1866-1875 ). He was transferred at Argenteuil (1866 ) the responsibility for both the work in the restoration of the tower of Saint- Jacques ( 1853-1855 ) as well as for the construction of the church of Saint- Denis.

The Église de la Trinité remained an epitome of his knowledge of the various architectural styles, his pronounced taste for the modern eclecticism and for the abundance of carved or painted decoration without breaking your budget work. The area around the church of La Trinité in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, where he owned some land and buildings, a taste of the architect has always remained. He lived and died there in 78 Rue Blanche, not far from the Église de la Trinité.

In 1873 he won the tender for the reconstruction of Paris City Hall Hotel de Ville, which had fallen prey to a major fire during the Paris Commune. He led the work out along with Pierre Deperthes. Ballu was appointed temporarily to the Institute and the " Council for civilian buildings " ( conseil des bâtiments civils ). In 1874 he took over the post of Inspector General for the Diocese of building his Vörganger Eugène Viollet -le- Duc. As Inspector General of the City of Paris ( Inspecteur général des travaux de la Ville de Paris ), he had held the office for church building 1871-1876.

The master of the work of the Belfry of Saint- Germain l'Auxerrois

Between 1858 and 1863, designed and realized Théodore the Belfry of the parish church of Saint- Germain l'Auxerrois.