Palais des Beaux Arts

In the heart of Lille, the Palais des Beaux-Arts stands out behind a magnificent fountain with water jets from which springs Eugène Dodeigne's famous "Group of Three" sculpture. It houses the richest collection in France after that of the Louvre, in a sumptuous setting of characteristic 19th-century architecture. It includes French and European paintings (Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya, Delacroix, etc.), sculptures (Rodin, Claudel, Carpeaux, etc.), ceramics, and other media such as a large cabinet of drawings (including 40 sheets by Raphael) and relief plans of towns in the region, fortified by Vauban in the 17th century. In 1997, renovation work was carried out in the basement, creating a room for temporary international exhibitions, an auditorium, a library and educational workshops.