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
- 50.2913, 2.7794
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00108156
In the heart of Arras, this building, listed as a Historic Monument since 1920, embodies Flemish genius, with its brick and bluestone façade, rhythmic arcades and stepped gables typical of the Grand'Places of the North.
History
Arras is one of those towns in the North of France whose soul can be read in its facades: arcaded buildings, stepped gables, sand-coloured and rust-coloured bricks arranged in tight rows around two of Europe's most beautiful market squares. In this architectural concert of rare coherence, the building, classified as a Historic Monument since 1920, occupies a place of choice, perpetuating a building tradition inherited from Flanders and medieval Brabant. What makes this building so special is first and foremost its survivor status: Arras was one of the most devastated towns in the First World War, and every building in its historic squares is either a miraculous survivor or a masterpiece of identical reconstruction. In both cases, the heritage value is immense. The building bears witness to a community's ability to reappropriate its architectural history after the disaster, and to perpetuate its formal codes with admirable rigour. To visit this building is to immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of Flemish Baroque ensembles: the alignment of arcades on the ground floor invites you to wander, while the superimposed storeys, punctuated by pilasters and elaborate dormer windows, offer a lesson in open-air vertical composition. The sculpted details - friezes, cartouches, capitals - reveal a decorative fantasy that distinguishes each building from its neighbour, while maintaining a perfectly orchestrated overall harmony. The setting in Arras adds to the experience: the two Grand'Places, linked by the Grand'Rue, are one of the rare examples in France of Baroque town planning that is fully accessible on a daily basis, without barriers or admission tickets. The listed building is an open page of history, accessible at a glance to any curious passer-by. For the photographer, the low-angled morning light or the night-time illuminations sublimate the play of relief and texture on these façades, revealing an unsuspected depth. For lovers of northern architecture, it's an unmissable rendezvous with one of the most accomplished expressions of the Flemish-Artesian style.
Architecture
The building is part of the great architectural tradition of the squares of Arras, whose aesthetic blends Flemish, Spanish and French influences in a coherent Artesian style. The façade, built around a principle of arcades with limestone bluestone pillars topped by red or ochre brick storeys, follows the logic of the "arcaded houses" that characterise Arras' Grand'Places: the ground floor, open to the street via wide semi-circular arches, was once used for sheltered trading, a tradition that has been preserved in the current layout of the façades. The upper storeys, arranged in a classical hierarchy, feature pilasters, horizontal stone bands and mullioned or transomed windows, depending on the period of construction. The stepped gable roof is the most emblematic feature of this type of Flemish architecture, giving the entire square a distinctive, scalloped silhouette. The steeply pitched roof is probably covered in slate or flat tiles, according to regional tradition. The materials used - greyish-blue ashlar for the load-bearing structures and decorative elements, brick for the infill - reflect the geological resources and craftsmanship of the Artois region. The sculpted details of the capitals, keystones and cornices reveal the mastery of local stonemasons, trained in a long tradition of ecclesiastical and civil building sites.
Related Figures
Maximilien de Robespierre — natif d'Arras, avocat et homme politique dont la ville conserve de nombreuses traces mémoriellesCharles Quint — dont la domination sur les Pays-Bas méridionaux façonna durablement l'architecture civile d'Arras au XVIe siècleLouis XIV — qui annexa Arras en 1640 et dont la politique urbanistique influença les reconstructions du tissu bâtiLes architectes de la reconstruction (années 1920) — équipes mandatées après 1918 pour restituer à l'identique les façades détruitesLes guildes de drapiers et marchands arrageois — commanditaires historiques de ces immeubles de prestige autour des places
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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.