Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans

In the 18th century, the Royal Saltworks was a unique industrial and architectural complex, symbolizing the power of the monarch and the creative genius of the architect. Built in a semicircle according to the plans of Claude-Nicolas Ledoux, from 1775 to 1779, it is today one of the few remaining vestiges of a vanished industry: the production of a staple commodity, rock salt. It is also an exceptional monument in the history of architecture. The Claude-Nicolas Ledoux Institute now carries out tourist, cultural, and scientific activities, and defines itself as a place for welcoming visitors, meetings, research, and dissemination. The Royal Saltworks has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1963.