Immeuble
MonumentHidden Treasure
Immeuble, located in Dinan (Département 22), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Dinan, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.4537, -2.0425
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089137
Au cœur médiéval de Dinan, cet immeuble du XIIIe siècle incarne l'architecture civile bretonne à colombages : ossature de bois sculptée, encorbellements audacieux et façade à arcades témoignent d'un Moyen Âge encore palpable.
History
Set in one of Brittany's best-preserved medieval towns, this 13th-century building from Dinan is a rare and authentic example of medieval Breton civil architecture. While most of the buildings from this period disappeared under the remodelling of the following centuries, this one has survived eight hundred years of history without losing most of its original appearance, which is why it has been protected as a Historic Monument since 1956. What sets this building apart from the multitude of timber-framed buildings that line the streets of Dinan is precisely its great age. Built at a time when the town was experiencing a remarkable commercial and craft boom, thanks in particular to the activity of the port on the Rance, it reflects the prosperity of the Breton merchant bourgeoisie. Its generous volumes, mullioned windows and carefully assembled wooden structure speak volumes about the skills of Armorican carpenters in the classical Middle Ages. The visitor experience begins even before crossing the threshold: the street itself becomes the setting for silent contemplation, where time seems suspended. Passers-by raise their eyes to the prominent façades, drawn by the complexity of the wooden assemblies blackened by the centuries. The sculpted reliefs, discreet but present, reveal to the attentive eye iconographic details typical of late Romanesque and early Gothic Breton art. Inserted into the dense urban fabric of old Dinan, the building blends harmoniously into a group of listed cobbled streets, houses with galleries and private mansions that make this town an open-air museum. The proximity of the ducal castle, ramparts and Saint-Sauveur basilica adds to the atmosphere of total historical immersion. Whether you're an enthusiast of medieval architecture, a photographer in search of materials and light, or simply a walker curious about Brittany's heritage, this building offers a precious invitation to experience at first hand the daily life of Dinan's craftsmen and merchants at the time of the Dukes of Brittany.
Architecture
This 13th-century building in Dinan is part of the great tradition of timber-framed civil architecture in inland Brittany, of which Dinan has one of the most remarkable examples in France. Its structure is based on a solid oak frame, assembled using pegged mortise and tenon joints, using techniques typical of medieval Breton carpenters. The upper storeys are corbelled above the street, a technique used to increase living space while protecting passers-by from the elements. The ground floor probably has a base of local granite - a material that is ubiquitous in Upper Brittany - providing a solid foundation and resistance to the dampness of the ground. The upper façades, with their exposed framework, feature a grid of horizontal and vertical beams interspersed with cob or mud brick infill. The windows, with stone or wooden mullions depending on the level, are narrow and elongated, characteristic of the early Gothic style. Discreet sculpted motifs - nail heads, geometric interlacing, stylised figures - adorn some of the posts and runners, a sign of the wealthy status of the patron. The overall volume is compact and slender, with a steeply pitched roof covered in Anjou slate or Breton schist, traditional materials in this region. The overall effect is a facade of rare medieval coherence, all the more precious given that most of the buildings from this period were altered or raised during the major construction campaigns of the 15th and 16th centuries, which profoundly transformed the face of Dinan's old town.
Related Figures
Bertrand Du Guesclin — Chevalier breton natif des environs de Dinan, dont le duel légendaire de 1359 près des remparts de la ville illustre l'atmosphère chevaleresque contemporaine de l'immeubleJean IV de Bretagne — Duc de Bretagne (1364-1399) sous lequel Dinan connaît un essor urbain notable, favorisant la construction d'immeubles comme celui-ciPropriétaires marchands médiévaux — Négociants en drap ou en lin dont la prospérité, liée au commerce fluvial de la Rance, est à l'origine du financement de l'édifice au XIIIe siècleÉrudits de la Société d'Émulation des Côtes-du-Nord — Archéologues et historiens locaux du XIXe-XXe siècle qui ont inventorié et signalé la valeur patrimoniale de l'immeubleInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques — Fonctionnaires des Beaux-Arts ayant instruit et signé l'arrêté d'inscription du 28 avril 1956
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Immeuble located?
Immeuble is located in Dinan, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Immeuble built?
Immeuble dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Immeuble open to visitors?
Immeuble is currently closed to visitors.
