When Louis XIV conquered the town in 1667 Vauban established a new town plan in which St Marie-Madeleine was to be an important element. The architect François Vollant placed it facing the rue de Thionville following a design that was the far from ordinary : a circular choir ringed by side-aisles. Above the luxuriant decoration of the choir evoking the Flemish Renaissance, the columns supporting the dome are soberly Doric and Corinthian. Doric and lonian orders appear on the curved façade between two wings spreading in the baroque fashion. Built on a bastion, the church suffered severely in the siege of 1708. Its dome was seriously damaged but was restored by the architect Thomas Joseph Gombert after 1711. Its silhouette is a rare one in the region and is a highlight of the different views of Lille. The church has been deconsecrated and is home to the work of the Indian artist Subodh Gupta in addition, it is often used for exhibitions and cultural events.
Access: Navette Vieux Lille