Maison dite du Bourreau
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison dite du Bourreau, located in Lamballe (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
- Lamballe, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.4697, -2.5154
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089231
Joyau de l'architecture civile bretonne du XVIe siècle, la Maison du Bourreau à Lamballe fascine par son colombage sculpté et la légende sombre qui entoure son nom depuis des siècles.
History
In the heart of Lamballe, a medieval town in the Côtes-d'Armor region, stands one of the best-preserved timber-framed houses in the whole of inland Brittany. Maison du Bourreau takes its name from the tenacious oral tradition that the town's executioner occupied these walls at the turn of the 16th century - a reputation that, far from putting off visitors, lends them an aura of irresistible mystery. What makes this residence truly singular is the quality of its exposed framework and the richness of its sculpted ornamentation. The corner posts, runners and discharges are crafted with a care that goes far beyond the needs of an ordinary dwelling, testifying to the social standing of its original patron and the exceptional skills of Lamballe's Renaissance carpenters. A visit here is a must for all lovers of medieval and Renaissance civil heritage. From the street, the facade, with its successive corbels, offers a lesson in vernacular architecture: each level slightly overhangs the previous one, a structural as well as aesthetic strategy that maximised living space in a dense urban fabric. The half-timbering creates a geometric effect that is enhanced by finely chiselled plant and fantasy motifs. Lamballe itself is well worth a half-day's visit: the former capital of the Duchy of Penthièvre, it has preserved a coherent medieval ensemble around the collegiate church of Saint-Fiacre and the cobbled streets, of which the Maison du Bourreau is one of the absolute jewels. Between the half-timbered inner courtyard and the panoramic view over the town's slate roofs, the atmosphere is that of a Gothic, carpenter's Brittany, authentic and unadorned.
Architecture
The Maison du Bourreau belongs to the large family of Renaissance timber-framed houses in Brittany, a type of construction that reached its apogee in the towns of Upper Brittany between 1480 and 1580. The load-bearing structure is provided by a solid oak frame: corner posts, high and low runners, slung eaves and sculpted eaves make up a framework that is both static and decorative. The infill between the timbers is traditionally made of cob, sometimes later replaced by brick or rubble. The façade, which is typical of Lamballe's civil architecture, features a gradual corbelling of the upper storeys onto the street, a structural technique that made it possible to free up space at height without encroaching further onto the public thoroughfare. The exposed timbers are adorned with sculpted motifs - foliage scrolls, grotesque heads or geometric figures - reflecting a Renaissance influence that spread from the urban workshops of Saint-Brieuc and Dinan. The steeply pitched roof, in keeping with Armorican tradition, was covered in local blue slate. Inside, the elongated layout, with a room facing the street and the main building extending towards the heart of the block, is typical of middle-class homes of the period. The upper levels, reserved for bedrooms and storerooms, are connected by a wooden spiral staircase whose shaft occupies the rear corner of the building, a common solution in 16th-century timber-framed houses in Brittany.
Related Figures
L'exécuteur des hautes œuvres de Lamballe (XVIe-XVIIe s.) — figure anonyme dont la résidence supposée donna son nom à la maisonLes charpentiers lamballais du XVIe siècle — artisans anonymes auteurs de la remarquable sculpture des bois de façadeLes érudits régionalistes bretons du XIXe siècle — premiers défenseurs de la valeur patrimoniale de la demeureLes inspecteurs des Monuments historiques (1909 et 1964) — artisans de la protection officielle de l'édificeLouise de Savoie, duchesse de Penthièvre — figure tutélaire de Lamballe sous le règne de François Ier, contemporaine de la construction
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison dite du Bourreau located?
Maison dite du Bourreau is located in Lamballe, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Maison dite du Bourreau built?
Maison dite du Bourreau dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison dite du Bourreau open to visitors?
Maison dite du Bourreau is currently closed to visitors.
