"The Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, near Besançon, was built by
Claude Nicolas Ledoux. Its construction, begun in 1775 during the reign
of Louis XVI, was the first major achievement of industrial
architecture, reflecting the ideal of progress of the Enlightenment. The
vast, semicircular complex was designed to permit a rational and
hierarchical organization of work and was to have been followed by the
building of an ideal city, a project that was never realized.
The Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains was active for at least 1200
years until stopping activity in 1962. From 1780 to 1895, its salt water
travelled through 21 km of wood pipes to the Royal Saltworks of
Arc-et-Senans. It was built near the immense Chaux Forest to ensure its
supply of wood for fuel. The Saltworks of Salins shelters an underground
gallery from the 13th century including a hydraulic pump from the 19th
century that still functions. The boiler house demonstrates the
difficulty of the saltworkers’ labour to collect the “White Gold”" -http://whc.unesco.org
Written and stamped and posted from the place itself! (look at the postmark!)
Thank you so much Jean Pierre for remembering to send me this postcard during your trip
on this UNESCO WHS!
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