Today the administrative center of the Orne department, Alençon has always positioned itself as an economic crossroads thanks to its lace production and flourishing printing press. The city is home to numerous monuments with diverse architecture like the Maison d'Ozé from 1450, the castle of the Dukes from the 12th century, and the Corn Market and its Gustave Eiffel dome. Alençon also houses significant religious monuments such as the childhood home of Thérèse of Lisieux and listed churches like the Notre-Dame d'Alençon basilica.