in French. Sights Rennes is classified as a city of art and history. Historic centre The historic centre is located on the former plan of the ramparts. There is a difference between the northern city centre and the southern city centre due to the 1720 fire, which destroyed most of the timber-framed houses in the northern part of the city. The rebuilding was done in stone, on a grid plan. The southern part, the poorest at this time, was not rebuilt. Due to the presence of the parlement de Bretagne, many "hôtels particuliers" were built in the northern part, the richest in the 18th century. Most of the monuments historiques can be found there. Colourful traditional half-timbered houses are situated primarily along the roads of Saint-Sauveur, Saint-Georges, de Saint-Malo, Saint-Guillaume, des Dames, du Chapitre, Vasselot, Saint-Michel, de la Psallette and around the plazas of Champ-Jacquet, des Lices, Saint-Anne and Rallier-du-Baty. The Parlement de Bretagne and city hall area The Parlement de Bretagne (Administrative and judicial centre of Brittany, ) is the most famous 17th century building in Rennes. It was rebuilt after a terrible fire in 1994 that may have been caused by a flare fired by a protester during a demonstration. It houses the Rennes Court of Appeal. The plaza around is built on the classical architecture. On the west, the Place de la Mairie (City Hall Plaza, Plasenn Ti Kêr): City Hall Opera On the east, at the end of the Rue Saint-Georges with traditional half-timbered houses: 1920s Saint George Municipal Pool, with mosaics Saint George Palace, and its garden On the south-east: Saint-Germain square Saint-Germain Church Saint-Germain footbridge, 20th century wood and metal construction to link the plaza with Émile Zola Quay, across the Vilaine River. The Place des Lices and cathedral area The Place des Lices is lined by hôtels particuliers with the place Railler-du-Baty, is the location of the weekly big market, the marché des Lices. Near the Rennes Cathedral (cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Rennes) is the Rue du Chapitre: Hôtel de Blossac There are 16th century polychrome wooden busts on the façade of 20, Rue du Chapitre. On this era are the former St. Yves chapel, now the tourism office and a museum about the historical development of Rennes and the Basilica Saint-Sauveur. Remains of the ramparts Built from the 3rd to the 12th centuries, the ramparts were largely destroyed between the beginning of the