Vieille Bourse (Old Stock Exchange), Lille (must see)

In 1651, the city’s magistrates obtained permission from King Philip IV of Spain to build an exchange where local merchants could conduct business. Julien Destrée a municipal architect, was chosen to bring the project to life, creating a commercial monument inspired partly by the celebrated exchanges of Antwerp and Amsterdam.

The king had authorized the construction of “an exchange for the use of merchants,” surrounded by 24 houses. The city sold 24 plots around the market square to traders, while the municipal authorities financed the galleries, the paving of the courtyard, and the four entrances. Construction proceeded under Destrée’s direction from the spring of 1652 until the autumn of 1653.

The building is a fine example of 17th-century Flemish Mannerist architecture. Its pilasters, window frames, and columns are richly decorated with garlands of fruit, scrolls, and cornucopias. Above the courtyard rises a small campanile crowned by a gilded figure of Mercury, the Roman god of trade. The elaborate ornamentation reflected Lille’s commercial ambitions at a time when it competed with Flemish cities such as Antwerp, Ghent, and Bruges.

In 1861, a modern securities exchange began operating inside the building. Trading remained limited, however, with only about 3.4 percent of the listed capital changing hands each year. The exchange later moved into the new Chamber of Commerce building, constructed between 1910 and 1921. The older complex consequently became known as the Old Stock Exchange.