This stunning edifice made of glass and metal was built in 1870- 1871, following the plans of the architect Hubert and the engineer Celi Moullan. At that time, the river “la Trouille” winded through the city of Mons. When Mons got access to drinkable water, the machine à Eau was raised on the bank of the river, in order to reroute its water from the city center towards the outskirts.
The impressive machine room, owing to its pumps, pipes and canalizations forced back the flow from the lower land up to the local water tanks, built within the castle’s square (highest point of the hill). The springs of “la Vallière” and of “le Trou-du-souris” supplied the city of Mons with water. The flow of the river “la Trouille” was only used to power the hydraulic engine.
This innovation as regards domestic comfort totally changed the way of life of the inhabitants who were used, until then, to fetch water to the wells or to the fountains, sometimes located hundreds of meters from the dwelling houses. Meantime, another urban project was realized: in 1828, town gas lighted boulevards and main streets. The demolition of the fortifications that made free space and the rerouting of the river “la Trouille” whose strategic function to refill the ditches, was useless, enabled these two innovations.
The “Machine à Eau” was restored (1990-1994) and since then, has become a cultural house for exhibitions and artistic events. The machine room has been dismantled. This exceptional building also offers facilities and accommodations to the company As Palavras- Claudio Bernardo.
Boulevard Dolez
7000 MONS
