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Town Hall of Valence
Located in La Place de Liberte in the historic city centre, the town hall of Valence is also known as the Hotel de Ville. It's a nice building of the late XIX and early XX centuries, which is open Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 6:00pm, presumably for official business, but you can go check out the central courtyard. Opened in 1894, it has a beautiful classical facade and colourful roof tiles that takes away its official appearance and gives it a more human touch. The belfry is on top, which is like a bell tower, but secular. Previously only the churches had a watch and could tell citizens the time.
Gradually belfries came to symbolize the citizens' independence form the church.
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