Junas Kiosque

In the heart of the village of Junas, discover a stunning, monumental work of art that is unique in the world: the Junas Kiosk, built entirely of stone by stonemasons from several countries.

The History of the Kiosk
Conceived during the ‘Rencontres de la Pierre’ event in 2003, the project aimed to revive the tradition of stonemasonry and collectively create a structure imagined, designed and built by the craftsmen themselves.
Construction took place between 2004 and 2011 and involved nearly 500 French and international stonemasons. In total, 35 tonnes of stone, sourced from 11 different quarries, were required to build the kiosk.

A stone structure representing the five continents
This structure, approximately 8 metres in diameter, rests on five arches and features a curved design, crowned by an oculus. Each arch evokes one of the five inhabited continents through various traditional motifs.
On the floor, a mosaic depicting a world map symbolically links the continents represented on the monument and recalls the values of universality and sharing that inspired the project.
The Kiosk comprises 171 stones assembled with great precision. Some still bear the initials or signatures of the stonemasons who helped to create it.
A true demonstration of stonemasonry expertise, the monument also bears witness to the spirit of the guild tradition, based on the passing on of knowledge, the exchange of skills and collaborative work.
Be sure to stand on the map of Africa, in the centre of the mosaic and beneath the oculus: just a few words are enough to discover the kiosk’s astonishing acoustic properties.

Situated in Junas’s public space, the Kiosk is now a unique piece of heritage to be discovered whilst strolling through the village, and a remarkable testament to the history of the Rencontres de la Pierre.