Track the Witnesses to (re)discover the history of Orleans
Like a treasure hunt or historical investigation, a total of fifty Witnesses are to be tracked down around the streets and squares of Orleans city centre.
Orleans is promoting its history and heritage with the support of two local artists, Yann Hervis (visual artist) and Anne-Marie Royer-Pantin (author), with a fun and educational cultural initiative entitled Les Témoins d’Orléans (The Witnesses of Orleans).
The project is a way for people to learn the city’s history through specific objects installed in the public space which, through their physical shape, symbolism and new technologies, provide participants with fascinating content.
Made out of COR-TEN (weathering steel with a rusted finish), the Witnesses lead visitors on a quest to seek out and metaphorically claim the treasures buried beneath the cobbled stones or hidden behind the ancient walls around the city. They tell a story, an episode from history or anecdotes about a location using visual puzzles, drawings and pictograms.
Rue Étienne Dolet, Rue de Bourgogne, Rue de la Poterne, Rue de la Charpenterie, Place du Châtelet and Place de la Loire etc. Delve into 2,000 years of Orleans’ history in the streets of the old town.
The city’s old stones still harbour plenty of secrets…
A mix of historical investigation and new technology
Historical research into the city and its heritage provided inspiration to the artist and information to the author thereby bringing the Witnesses themselves, the engravings and the corresponding texts beautifully in sync.
With either a QR Code or NFC Technology embedded in each Witness, curious participants can connect to the Les Témoins d’Orléans website to hear a longer story linked to each site visited.