Immeuble, actuellement bijouterie Prieur
MonumentHidden Treasure
Immeuble, actuellement bijouterie Prieur, located in Rennes (Département 35), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Rennes, Département 35, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.1116, -1.6775
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090710
An eighteenth-century jewel on the Place du Palais, this listed building embodies the rebirth of Rennes after the fire of 1720: its large round-headed granite arcades and Ionic pilasters bear witness to exceptional urban planning.
History
In the heart of Rennes, on the majestic Place du Palais, the building housing the Prieur jewellers stands out as one of the most eloquent witnesses to the reconstruction of the city after the disaster of 1720. Far from being a simple commercial building, it embodies an entire urban programme conceived with rigour and ambition: that of a city which, rising from the ashes, chose classical grandeur rather than haste. What immediately sets this building apart from the rest of the square is the quality of the dialogue between the commercial ground floor and the residential upper floors. The large semi-circular granite arches that punctuate the façade create a shaded portico that is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. The influence of French royal squares can be seen here, particularly the one designed by Jacques V Gabriel to unify the architecture of Rennes after the fire. The low, almost discreet entresol provides a subtle transition between the lively arcades of the commercial area and the two well-proportioned upper floors. The Ionic pilasters that punctuate the façade give the whole an elegant verticality and a stylistic coherence that makes this building an essential link in the overall composition of the square. The Mansard-style attic crowns the whole with a silhouette that is so characteristic of the French architecture of the Grand Siècle and its eighteenth-century extensions: a broken roof that maximises living space under the roofs while drawing a recognisable line against the Rennes sky. Visiting this building, or simply contemplating its façade from the Place du Palais, is a lesson in open-air urban planning. The continuity of the arcades all around the square creates a unique covered walkway in the city, ideal for curious strollers and classical architecture enthusiasts alike.
Architecture
The Prieur jewellers' building is an integral part of the homogeneous architectural programme of the Place du Palais, designed as a coherent whole after the fire of 1720. Its vertical composition follows a rigorous classical hierarchy: large semi-circular granite arches on the ground floor, forming a continuous portico with the neighbouring buildings; a low entresol marking the transition to the upper floors; two storeys of living space with windows punctuated by Ionic pilasters - a stylistic choice of sober elegance, halfway between Doric severity and Corinthian splendour. The ensemble is crowned by a Mansard-style attic storey, whose characteristic broken roof optimises the space under the roof while creating the inimitable silhouette of the square. Granite, omnipresent in Breton construction, plays a key structural and aesthetic role here. Precision-cut to form the semi-circular arches of the arcades, it gives the façade a mineral solidity and a bluish-grey hue typical of the Rennes region. The Ionic pilasters separating the bays add a measured verticality, accentuating the perception of height without ever becoming ostentatious. The regularity of the openings, the finesse of the modelling and the coherence of the whole bear witness to an architectural mastery typical of the great achievements of the French classical school of the 18th century.
Related Figures
Jacques V Gabriel — architecte du roi, maître d'œuvre de la reconstruction de Rennes après l'incendie de 1720Louis XV — roi de France sous le règne duquel fut ordonné et financé le programme de reconstructionPrieur — nom associé à la bijouterie qui donna son appellation courante à l'immeubleAnne de Bretagne — figure symbolique de l'identité bretonne, dont l'héritage pèse sur toute l'histoire de RennesCardinal Fleury — premier ministre de Louis XV qui supervisa les grands chantiers de reconstruction urbaine en France
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Immeuble, actuellement bijouterie Prieur located?
Immeuble, actuellement bijouterie Prieur is located in Rennes, Département 35 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Immeuble, actuellement bijouterie Prieur built?
Immeuble, actuellement bijouterie Prieur dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Immeuble, actuellement bijouterie Prieur open to visitors?
Immeuble, actuellement bijouterie Prieur is currently closed to visitors.
