Maison ancienne dite Logis des Hôtes
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison ancienne dite Logis des Hôtes, located in Vendôme (Loir-et-Cher), 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
- Vendôme, Loir-et-Cher, Centre-Val de Loire
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.7914, 1.0680
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00098643
A 12th-century Romanesque vestige nestling in the heart of Vendôme, the former Logis des Hôtes reveals its four elegant double-moulded arched bays, discreet witnesses to a monastic life several hundred years old.
© Wikimedia Commons
History
In the narrow streets of Vendôme, between the bell tower of the great Abbey of La Trinité and the remains of its now-defunct outbuildings, stands a house that has stood the test of time without losing its original nobility. The Logis des Hôtes - or at least the building traditionally known as the Logis des Hôtes - is one of those buildings that seem to stand on the strength of their history alone, discreet in appearance but extraordinarily full of meaning for those who know how to look at them. The first thing that strikes you is the alliance between the Romanesque sobriety of the original construction and the layers of successive interventions that have reconfigured the building over the centuries. The four arched bays on the first floor, adorned with moulded and sculpted double frames, form the aesthetic heart of the building: they are a powerful reminder that we are in the presence of twelfth-century architecture, contemporary with the great abbey works that irrigated the Loir valley at the time. The experience of a visit is that of a monument rooted in the heart of the town, not distanced by gates or formal gardens. The Logis des Hôtes is at ground level, close to the urban fabric of Vendôme, which reinforces the feeling of a living continuity between the medieval past and the present. The external stone balcony and its staircase, added at a later date, add a picturesque touch that contrasts pleasantly with the Romanesque rigour of the bays. For visitors with an interest in monastic architecture and history, this building offers a unique window onto the way in which the great medieval abbeys structured the surrounding urban space, demarcating their territory, welcoming guests and travellers, and storing their harvests in granaries that adjoined cellars and kitchens. Vendôme, a town in the Loir Valley listed for its rich heritage, is an ideal setting for this type of discovery.
Architecture
The Logis des Hôtes belongs to the Romanesque architectural tradition of the 12th century, characterised by the robustness of the ashlar limestone masonry - Vendôme white stone, which is soft to work and abundant in the Loir valley, being the material of choice for local builders. The overall massing is that of a sober, functional two-storey rectangular main building, in keeping with its original utilitarian purpose. The most striking architectural feature is the series of four arched bays that open the first floor to the outside. Each has a moulded and sculpted double frame, the quality of which contrasts sharply with the simplicity of the rest of the elevation. These openings, which were probably designed to ventilate the attics while at the same time lending a certain representative dignity to abbey buildings, bear precious witness to the skills of 12th-century Vendôme stonemasons. Their sculptural treatment, although restrained, is reminiscent of late Romanesque decorative practices in the Loire Valley. The later additions - a stone balcony with an outside staircase and a wing building on the left - bear witness to the transformations carried out when the building was converted into a private dwelling after the French Revolution. Although more modestly built than the original medieval structure, these elements give the building a picturesque, composite silhouette that is characteristic of buildings that have survived several periods of use and several centuries of history.
Related Figures
Geoffroy Martel, comte d'Anjou — fondateur de l'abbaye de la Trinité de Vendôme en 1032, à l'origine du complexe monastique dont dépendait ce bâtimentProsper Mérimée — inspecteur général des Monuments Historiques, dont l'action nationale prépara la voie à la protection de bâtiments comme le Logis des HôtesLes moines bénédictins de la Trinité de Vendôme — occupants et gestionnaires du bâtiment du XIIe siècle à la Révolution françaiseLes architectes maçons romans du XIIe siècle — auteurs inconnus des quatre baies cintrées sculptées, chefs-d'œuvre discrets de l'art roman vendômois
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison ancienne dite Logis des Hôtes located?
Maison ancienne dite Logis des Hôtes is located in Vendôme, Loir-et-Cher department, Centre-Val de Loire region, France.
When was Maison ancienne dite Logis des Hôtes built?
Maison ancienne dite Logis des Hôtes dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Maison ancienne dite Logis des Hôtes open to visitors?
Maison ancienne dite Logis des Hôtes is currently closed to visitors.