Maison des 13e et 16e siècles
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison des 13e et 16e siècles, located in Selles-sur-Cher (Loir-et-Cher), 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
- Selles-sur-Cher, Loir-et-Cher, Centre-Val de Loire
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.2771, 1.5540
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00098601
A rare example of medieval architecture in Selles-sur-Cher, this 13th and 16th century house boasts a Gothic façade adorned with ogival mullioned windows and sculpted capitals, a striking vestige of the Château de Clamecy.
History
On the banks of the Cher, in the town of Selles-sur-Cher, stands a discreet building with an unsuspected wealth of history. This old house, with its stones spanning more than seven centuries, is one of the few remaining examples of medieval architecture in this Loir-et-Cher town. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1946, it deserves much more than a casual glance from the quayside. The first thing that strikes you is the façade overlooking the quay: on the first floor, two ogival windows with central mullions open onto the light from the Loire. Framed by carefully dressed pilasters and surmounted by finely sculpted capitals, these openings bear witness to remarkable architectural care for a building that was not originally a seigneurial residence in the strict sense. The coexistence of late Romanesque vocabulary from the 13th century and Renaissance additions from the 16th century gives the building a layered, almost archaeological feel. The building's interest also stems from its presumed dual historical purpose: as both a dependency of Clamecy castle and a possible salt store or barn for the Benedictine monastery of Selles, it crystallises two poles of power that have long coexisted in this town - feudal and ecclesiastical. This palimpsest of functions can still be seen in the very structure of the building, with a main body and a remodelled annex that bear witness to successive adaptations to the needs of the time. For the attentive visitor, the facade overlooking the Cher provides a striking photographic backdrop, especially in the early hours of the morning when the low-angled light brings out the relief of the sculpted capitals. The building can be visited from the outside as part of a walk along the quays of Selles-sur-Cher, a small town whose heritage deserves to be much better known.
Architecture
The building consists of a main structure built of ashlar limestone, the dominant material in the Cher valley, and a smaller annex, remodelled in a later period and less homogeneous in appearance. The facade overlooking the quay is the architectural focal point of the complex: on the first floor, two ogival windows with central vertical mullions give structure to the composition. These Gothic windows, framed by pilasters of Renaissance proportions, create a stylistic tension that is characteristic of 16th-century building sites in the Loire Valley, where the Middle Ages and humanism rub shoulders without being mutually exclusive. The capitals above the pilasters deserve particular attention: their sculpted programme, although partially eroded by the centuries, reveals a decorative concern that goes beyond the simple functionality of an agricultural or economic outbuilding. Stylized foliage and perhaps a few zoomorphic or human figures, these ornaments bear witness to the work of skilled craftsmen, who probably came from the yards working on the great Loire Valley châteaux of the time. The roof, probably double-pitched in its original configuration, may have been modified over the centuries. The ground floor, less visible from the public space, would have been used for storage or to receive merchandise, while the upper floor, with its more elaborate ornamentation, would have been used for administrative or residential purposes linked to the castle's or monastery's activities. This vertical hierarchy of spaces, common in medieval and Renaissance architecture, lends credence to the hypothesis of a building with a mixed economic and representative function.
Related Figures
Seigneurs de Clamecy — lignée féodale dont le château constituait l'autorité locale sous l'Ancien RégimeAbbés du monastère bénédictin de Selles — possibles commanditaires ou gestionnaires de l'édifice à vocation économiqueComtes de Blois — suzerains de la région au Moyen Âge, dont l'influence a structuré l'urbanisme de Selles-sur-CherMaîtres maçons ligériens du XVIe siècle — artisans anonymes à qui l'on doit le décor Renaissance de la façade
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison des 13e et 16e siècles located?
Maison des 13e et 16e siècles is located in Selles-sur-Cher, Loir-et-Cher department, Centre-Val de Loire region, France.
When was Maison des 13e et 16e siècles built?
Maison des 13e et 16e siècles dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison des 13e et 16e siècles open to visitors?
Maison des 13e et 16e siècles is currently closed to visitors.