Immeuble
MonumentHidden Treasure
Immeuble, located in Lannion (Département 22), 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
- Lannion, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.7316, -3.4600
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089270
In the heart of Lannion, this 16th-century timber-framed house boasts three corbelled storeys, sculpted runners and slate friezes - a masterpiece of Breton civil architecture that has been listed as a Historic Monument.
History
At the bend in a cobbled street in old Lannion, this timber-framed building emerges as an unspoilt reminder of the Renaissance town, offering walkers a facade with a wealth of ornament that is rare in Brittany. Its three overhanging storeys, corbelled on a solid granite base, form a characteristic silhouette that has survived five centuries without losing its soul. What makes this monument truly exceptional is the quality of its sculpted decoration: the runners, brackets and posts form a lacework of stone and wood in which the craftsmen of the 16th century displayed all their skills. The mouldings and sculptures are more than mere ornaments - they tell of the social status of those who commissioned them, and the prosperity of a Breton city that was booming at the time. Even rarer, the timber-framed walls are clad with finely-cut slate, creating friezes and geometric panels, a technique unique to Breton civil architecture. The experience of visiting the building is first and foremost one of encountering authentic architecture: the old joinery has not been replaced, preserving the visual continuity between inside and outside that is so often sacrificed during restoration work. Observing the façade from the pavement is like reading the construction manual of a Breton master carpenter from the Renaissance. Lannion, a town of art and history nestling in the Côtes-d'Armor region, offers an ideal setting in which to appreciate this heritage: the old town centre is home to a number of half-timbered and timber-framed houses that form a coherent whole, of which this listed building is the jewel. The atmosphere of the old town, its sloping streets and the proximity of the River Léguer add to the magic of the discovery. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1948, the building benefits from national protection that guarantees the durability of its extraordinary decor. It is part of the long tradition of Breton timber-framed town houses, of which it is one of the finest and best-preserved examples in the Trégor department.
Architecture
The building is distinguished by its vertical composition on four levels: a solid ground floor in granite, the local material par excellence, which provides a solid, durable foundation for the building, topped by three storeys built entirely in timber panelling. These upper storeys are corbelled - meaning that each level projects slightly over the previous one - a structural technique that makes it possible to increase the living space on the upper floors while creating the overhanging effect so characteristic of medieval and Renaissance streets. The façade is the building's veritable visitors' book. The "sablières" - the horizontal beams connecting the roof posts - are finely sculpted with plant, geometric or figurative motifs, reflecting the ornamental vocabulary of the Breton Renaissance. The brackets supporting the corbels and corner posts are also carefully sculpted, with mouldings and carved decoration. Between these wooden elements, the sides are clad with precision-cut slate, assembled to form decorative friezes and panels - a technical and aesthetic feature that sets this house apart from continental mud or brick constructions. The bays, harmoniously distributed across the façade, have retained their original joinery, a rare detail that lends the whole a precious authenticity. This retention of the original door and window frames - wooden sashes, mullions and transoms - bears witness to the building's continuity and relative structural stability over the centuries. The overall effect is a remarkably coherent façade, in which the rich sculptural decoration combines with the geometry of the slate panels to create an image of Breton craftsmanship in the 16th century.
Related Figures
Maître charpentier breton (XVIe siècle) — artisan anonyme concepteur de la charpente sculptéeCommanditaire marchand lannionnais (XVIe siècle) — probable propriétaire initial, acteur de la prospérité trégoroiseSculpteurs sur bois bretons (XVIe siècle) — auteurs des sablières, consoles et poteaux ornementésInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (XXe siècle) — acteurs du classement de 1948 et de la sauvegarde de l'édifice
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Immeuble located?
Immeuble is located in Lannion, Département 22 department, Bretagne 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.