Maison du 16e siècle
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison du 16e siècle, located in Auray (Département 56), 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
- Auray, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.6658, -2.9870
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090996
Joyau Renaissance bretonne du XVIe siècle niché au cœur d'Auray, cette maison à pans de bois et encorbellements sculptés incarne l'art de vivre des marchands prospères de la côte morbihannaise.
History
As you stroll through the cobbled streets of the old Saint-Goustan district of Auray, one facade stands out for the richness of its ornamentation and the strength of its half-timbered structure: the 16th-century house, listed as a Historic Monument since 1935, is one of the most eloquent examples of Breton Renaissance civil architecture. Where many medieval dwellings have disappeared under the remodelling of subsequent centuries, this one has preserved much of its original character, offering the curious a lesson in Breton domestic architecture in all its authenticity. What makes this residence truly unique is the quality of its sculpted details: the runners, corner posts and exposed framework are adorned with plant motifs, grotesque faces and scrolls typical of the Renaissance decorative repertoire disseminated in Brittany by local master carpenters. The progressive corbelling of the upper storeys, typical of the port towns of Morbihan, gives the façade a strong presence on the street, both imposing and finely proportioned. A visit to the exterior is in itself a sensory experience: the golden patina of the old wood, the dressed stone of the foundations and the sounds of the nearby port create an atmosphere of rare authenticity. The Saint-Goustan district, listed as one of Auray's most beautiful heritage sites, is an ideal setting in which to extend the discovery and grasp the urban context in which this house has taken on its full meaning. For lovers of civil architecture and local history, this house is an invaluable link in the understanding of bourgeois and merchant life in Brittany at the time of the great maritime expeditions. It is a reminder that Auray was, long before it became a tourist haven, a bustling port with influence all along the Atlantic seaboard.
Architecture
The 16th-century house in Auray belongs to the large family of timber-framed and corbelled buildings typical of Breton civil architecture from the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Its structure is based on an oak framework assembled using mortise and tenon joints, with the load-bearing elements - posts, runners and braces - visible on the façade, forming the grid pattern characteristic of half-timbered houses. The ground floor, made of local granite ashlar, provides a solid foundation for the building, giving it the robustness typical of Breton constructions. The progressively corbelled upper storeys extend the footprint while creating a dramatic overhanging effect on the street. The ornamentation is the most remarkable feature of the residence. The exposed timbers are carved with Renaissance motifs: foliage scrolls, pearls, oves and dentils sit alongside anthropomorphic or fantastical figures inherited from the Gothic bestiary. This stylistic mix is characteristic of 16th-century Breton production, which digested and reinterpreted southern influences through a local prism firmly rooted in tradition. The mullioned or transomed windows, depending on the level, elegantly punctuate the façade. The steeply pitched roof, as befits the Morbihan climate, is covered in slate from Anjou or the Quimper region, a favourite material in Brittany since the 15th century. The overall composition reveals the mastery of local craftsmen, who were able to combine functionality, weather resistance and artistic expression to serve a bourgeois class anxious to stand out in the urban landscape.
Related Figures
Maîtres charpentiers bretons du XVIe siècle, artisans anonymes des corporations d'AurayMarchands négociants du port de Saint-Goustan, commanditaires probables de la demeureBenjamin Franklin, qui débarqua au port de Saint-Goustan en 1776, dans le même quartierInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques des années 1930, artisans de la protection patrimonialeAnne de Bretagne, dont le règne (fin XVe-début XVIe siècle) précède la construction et façonne le cadre culturel breton
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison du 16e siècle located?
Maison du 16e siècle is located in Auray, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Maison du 16e siècle built?
Maison du 16e siècle dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison du 16e siècle open to visitors?
Maison du 16e siècle is currently closed to visitors.
