Immeuble
MonumentHidden Treasure
Immeuble, located in Sarlat-la-Canéda (Dordogne), 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
- Sarlat-la-Canéda, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 44.8893, 1.2164
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00082962
Tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac in the old town of Sarlat, this 15th-century building boasts a corbelled half-timbered facade and a geminate window, a rare example of medieval Périgord civil architecture.
History
In the heart of the labyrinth of narrow streets that make Sarlat-la-Canéda so famous, there are treasures that you don't find by chance. This medieval building, hidden away at the end of a cul-de-sac and only accessible via an arched passageway, is one of those discreet gems that only curious and patient walkers are lucky enough to discover. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1977, it is a strikingly authentic example of urban civil architecture in Périgord Noir at the end of the Middle Ages. What makes this building truly exceptional is the complexity of its main façade, a veritable lesson in open-air medieval architecture. The succession of levels - recessed section with external stone staircase, corbelled overhang on the second level - bears witness to the constructive ingenuity typical of 15th-century Sarlat houses, where every square metre of floor space was precious in the dense urban fabric. The half-timbered structure that closes the overhang, supported by beams and props, is a virtually intact example of a construction technique that is now rare in the region. Visiting the exterior is like stepping back in time. Passing through the vaulted passageway leading to the main façade, you leave the 21st century behind and find yourself back in medieval Sarlat, the town of merchants and craftsmen who built their homes from the pale Périgord limestone. The geminated window, an elegant survival of late Gothic style, adds a soft, solemn light to this remarkably coherent décor. The rear facade is also full of surprises, with its large corbelled chimney stack jutting out from the wall on the ground floor - a detail that is both functional and aesthetic, testifying to the importance of the domestic hearth in medieval life. The large windows, whose cruciform mullions have probably disappeared over the centuries, give an idea of what must have been the original magnificence of this building.
Architecture
The building is a particularly clear example of late Gothic civil architecture in the Périgord Noir region, skilfully combining limestone masonry and half-timbering. The main facade, served by a semi-circular vaulted passageway, is divided into two distinct sections that reveal a sophisticated construction logic: a recessed area on the ground and ground floors, accessed by an external stone staircase, and a corbelled projection on the second floor. This overhang, supported by a system of beams and props supporting a timber-framed wall, was a common architectural solution in medieval urban houses that were keen to maximise living space without encroaching on floor circulation. A rectangular door and a third-point geminated window - a double bay separated by a mullion and topped by a pointed arch - light up the first floor, adding a touch of Gothic refinement to this sober ensemble. The rear facade is just as remarkable, dominated by a monumental corbelled chimney stack that rests on the top of the round-headed doorway on the ground floor, a technical solution that made it possible to evacuate the smoke without piercing the load-bearing walls. The two large bays, whose rabbets suggest the original presence of cruciform mullions in carved stone, are generous openings characteristic of the taste for light that developed in civil architecture at the end of the 15th century. The materials used - golden beige Périgord limestone for the structure, oak for the roof timbers and half-timbering - are part of the local building tradition that gives Sarlat its distinctive chromatic unity.
Related Figures
Bourgeois ou marchand sarlat du XVe siècle (commanditaire probable de l'édifice)André Malraux, ministre des Affaires culturelles, initiateur de la politique des secteurs sauvegardés bénéficiant à Sarlat dès 1964Étienne de La Boétie, humaniste sarlat né en 1530, contemporain de l'époque où ce type de demeure animait la vie urbaine
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Immeuble located?
Immeuble is located in Sarlat-la-Canéda, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine 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.