Immeuble
Monument
Immeuble, located in Arras (Pas-de-Calais), 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
- Arras, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 50.2912, 2.7777
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00108083
In the heart of Arras, this building, listed as a Historic Monument since 1921, epitomises Flemish civil architecture in all its splendour, with its blonde sandstone facades and stepped gables characteristic of Arras' heritage.
History
Arras, the capital of the Artois region, has a dense urban fabric containing architectural treasures that bear witness to the region's commercial and cultural power over the centuries. Listed as a Historic Monument by decree on 10 February 1921, this building is one of the most eloquent examples of Flemish civil architecture in France, a style that had a profound influence on the urban identity of the north of the country. The uniqueness of this building lies in the fact that it belongs to an architectural tradition that transcends borders: the art of building of the Southern Netherlands, where brick and limestone combine to create rhythmic, expressive and hierarchical facades. Unlike great castles or cathedrals, this type of urban building reveals an intimate history, that of the merchant and artisan bourgeoisie that has made Arras rich since the Middle Ages. A visit to this building is a natural part of a wider tour of the historic centre of Arras, whose famous squares - the Grande Place and the Place des Héros - form one of the finest groups of Flemish-style buildings in France. The building fits into this exceptional setting like a masterpiece of a coherent architectural jigsaw, offering the attentive walker sculptural details and decorative elements that reveal their richness to those who can look up. Its classification as a Historic Monument in 1921 - a particularly early recognition for the inter-war period - testifies to the heightened awareness of heritage that developed after the massive destruction of the Great War, which had ravaged much of Arras. This building, spared or carefully restored, embodies the collective will to preserve the witnesses of an irreplaceable architectural past.
Architecture
The architecture of this building belongs to the large family of civil constructions in the Flemish tradition, the dominant style in Artois and northern France from the Middle Ages until the 18th century. The characteristic façades of this type of building in Artois are distinguished by their stepped or scrolled gables - also known as "stepped gables" - which cut into the sky with their rhythmic, rising silhouette. The local limestone, known as "Arras sandstone" or Liais limestone, gives the façades their warm hue, varying from cream to golden blond depending on the amount of sunlight. The composition of the facades follows a logic of social and functional stratification typical of Nordic commercial architecture: the ground floor, largely open through arcades or vast bays, was traditionally dedicated to commercial activities, while the upper floors housed residential units. The mullioned and transomed windows, framed by pilasters or engaged columns, punctuate the levels with a precision that testifies to an accomplished mastery of architectural composition. The sculpted details - modillions, foliage friezes, canopied niches - enhance the facade without compromising its overall coherence. Inside, the traditional layout of artesian buildings from this period features living spaces spread over several levels linked by a spiral or straight staircase, often made of oak, the elaborate banister of which is one of the main features. The barrel-vaulted or cross-vaulted cellars, dug into the limestone subsoil, bear witness to a historical depth that predates the visible construction and are a reminder of the essential economic role played by these storage spaces in the town's commercial life.
Related Figures
Bourgeois artésiens commanditaires de la construction originelle (XVe-XVIe siècle)Marchands drapiers de la guilde d'Arras, probables premiers occupantsVauban (Sébastien Le Prestre de), dont les travaux de fortification ont reconfiguré le tissu urbain arrageois au XVIIe siècleRobespierre (Maximilien de), natif d'Arras, figure dont l'environnement urbain natal comprenait ce type d'immeublesInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques ayant œuvré au classement de 1921 dans le cadre de la reconstruction post-Grande GuerreArchitectes en chef des Monuments Historiques ayant supervisé les restaurations du XXe siècle à Arras
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Immeuble located?
Immeuble is located in Arras, Pas-de-Calais department, Hauts-de-France region, France.
When was Immeuble built?
Immeuble dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Immeuble open to visitors?
Immeuble is currently closed to visitors.