The Halle AP2

Constructed in 1945, the Halle AP2, a former shipbuilding factory, is a veri- table living memorial site, a geographic landmark that left its indelible mark on the local and social history of Dunkirk and the Hauts-deFrance region, and still continues to influence the surrounding territory. Known locally as the “Cathedral”, the imposing edifice stretches 75 metres along the Dunkirk coast. For nearly 40 years, this site gave birth to ocean liners, cargo ships, sailing ships, oil tankers and battleships, before the shipyards’ definitive closure in 1988. The regular launch of brand-new boats strongly impacted Dunkirk’s collective imagination and memory for decades.