In 1581, after more than two centuries of existence, the alderman acquired a vast Gothic residence on Place du Marché-aux-Blés (now Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville). In addition to the municipal administration, the new town hall housed the court and, soon, the prisons of the royal justice. It was the fire in the latter that led to a complete reconstruction of the building from 1774. Under the direction of Nicolas Durand, architect of the generality of Champagne, the new town hall took over and arranged the municipal, judicial and penitentiary functions of the old town hall. Thus, the royal prisons were rebuilt behind the building. Treated as a projection, punctuated by an imposing colonnade and topped with a pediment, the central part constitutes the major accent of the façade. This escaped the fire which, in December 1892, ravaged the rest of the building. In the pediment, the acronym RF (French Republic) replaced the royal arms carved during the Revolution; however, it is the same angels who carry the republican shield!