Maison du 16e siècle
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison du 16e siècle, 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
- 48.4702, -2.5155
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089227
Au cœur de Lamballe, cette maison du XVIe siècle arbore les traits distinctifs de l'architecture civile bretonne de la Renaissance : colombages sculptés, encorbellements et lucarnes en pierre de taille qui défient les siècles.
History
Nestling in the medieval urban fabric of Lamballe, the former capital of the Duchy of Penthièvre, this 16th-century residence is one of the most eloquent examples of Breton civil architecture from the Renaissance period. Its sculpted timber-framed silhouette and overhanging corbelled volumes are a natural part of the landscape of a town that was, over the centuries, one of the most active economic and political centres in the Côtes-d'Armor region. What makes this house truly unique is the quality of its ornamental vocabulary: the wooden uprights bear geometric and plant motifs characteristic of the late flamboyant Gothic style mixed with early Italian Renaissance influences, a stylistic blend typical of Breton workshops in the early 16th century. The runners and corner posts are adorned with carvings whose precision reveals the work of highly skilled journeymen carpenters. A visit to the exterior reveals a fascinating dialogue between wood and stone: the window frames, carefully carved from local granite, contrast with the golden warmth of the oak timbers. The street façade invites you to look up to decipher the staggered overhanging levels, a real technical feat that optimised living space in the heart of the dense city. Lamballe itself offers an ideal setting for further discovery: just a stone's throw away are the collegiate church of Notre-Dame, the national stud farm and a group of timber-framed houses that form one of the best-preserved heritage ensembles in inland Brittany. The 16th-century house is part of a coherent architectural itinerary, with each façade telling a different story of the town's history. For lovers of architecture and heritage photography, this monument is a must-see: the low-angled morning light reveals the full depth of the wood carvings, while the granite stones take on amber hues in the late afternoon sun. A discreet house, but one of silent richness, well worth the diversions.
Architecture
The house is built over two or three storeys in the Breton building tradition of the 16th century, with a granite masonry ground floor serving as a sturdy base and timber-framed upper storeys. This mixed construction system, combining local stone - bluish-grey granite from the Côtes-d'Armor region - and carved oak, is typical of wealthy urban homes in the Penthièvre and Trégor regions during this period. The successive corbelled storeys, which gradually extend out onto the street, bear witness to the mastery of carpentry that made it possible to increase the living space on the upper levels while protecting the lower walls from the rainwater run-off that is so common in Brittany. The main feature of the façade is its ornamentation: the corner posts and runners (the horizontal parts of the roof structure) are carved with motifs that are characteristic of the late flamboyant Gothic style mixed with early Renaissance elements - foliage scrolls, geometric interlacing, sometimes mascarons or fantastical animal figures. The slender granite mullioned window frames add a strong Renaissance note to the overall composition. The roof, probably covered in slate - the dominant roofing material throughout Brittany from the late Middle Ages onwards - may feature dormer windows with sculpted pediments, a prestigious feature often found on middle-class homes from this period and this region. The interior, although poorly documented, probably followed the usual spatial layout of this type of dwelling: shop or warehouse on the ground floor, common room and bedrooms on the upper floors, with a wooden or stone spiral staircase serving the different levels. The fireplace in the main room, possibly adorned with a carved granite or kersanton mantle, was the centrepiece of the interior décor.
Related Figures
Commanditaire bourgeois anonyme (XVIe siècle) — probable marchand ou officier urbain lamballais ayant financé la constructionCompagnons charpentiers bretons (XVIe siècle) — artisans maîtrisant l'art de la sculpture sur bois et la charpente en encorbellementDucs de Penthièvre — seigneurs dont la prospérité rayonnante favorisa le développement urbain et architectural de LamballeCommission des Monuments Historiques (1930) — instance ayant reconnu et protégé l'édifice par l'inscription du 22 mars 1930Anne de Bretagne (1477–1514) — duchesse dont le règne coïncide avec l'essor architectural breton qui précède directement la construction de la maison
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison du 16e siècle located?
Maison du 16e siècle is located in Lamballe, Département 22 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.
