Majestic 143-year-old building survived years of Nazi occupation. Students and protesters nearly burnt it to the ground in a single day

Students in France are demonstrating to demand greater higher-education funds and resources, amid the climbing costs of living, deteriorating school conditions and declining public services, according to NPR’s Eleanor Beardsley, who was on the ground in Paris.

About 550,000 people marched around the country on Saturday, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told Reuters. While most of them protested peacefully, a small minority looted shops and attacked buildings, including the Limoges City Hall.

The movement has since spread across Europe — from Belgium and Albania to Portugal and Italy — with some protests turning into violent clashes between students and law enforcement.

A piece of history burned

Located in Limoges, a city in southwestern France, the ornate, neo-Renaissance building opened in 1883. Its architecture was inspired by Paris City Hall, and it became one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.

The building was designated a historic monument in 1975, recognizing its architectural and cultural significance.

Its historical significance extended beyond its architecture, however. In May 1940, as Nazi Germany advanced across Europe, members of Belgium’s government fled their country and arrived in Limoges. The town hall provided offices for Belgian ministers and parliamentarians who opposed their king’s surrender to Germany.

During the German occupation of France, Limoges also became an important center for resistance activity. The city was ultimately liberated on Aug. 21, 1944, after years of occupation and conflict.

Now, several decades down the line, the building has suffered a different kind of destruction.

In Limoges, a group of several hundred masked individuals broke windows, charged the town hall and ignited a fire. The flames spread through the building, destroying its roof and causing its 43-meter (141-foot) clock tower to collapse.

Authorities have reported extensive damage, prompting outrage from residents and city officials.

Local prefect Maurice Barate told Reuters that the damage done is a “heritage catastrophe.” Meanwhile, Mayor Guillaume Guérin described the damage as deliberate.

“There was a clear, premeditated intention to burn down the town hall, and the people inside feared for their lives,” he told Reuters, threatening to resign if the city did not receive sufficient funding to repair the damage.

What will it cost to restore the historic landmark?

The full financial cost of the fire remains uncertain, but the building already carried a substantial restoration price tag before the blaze,.