Maison
Monument
Maison, located in Lille (Nord), 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
- Lille, Nord, Hauts-de-France
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 50.6423, 3.0661
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00107684
In the heart of Lille, this historic house, listed as a Historic Monument since 1927, embodies the architectural soul of Old Lille, with its red brick facades and remarkable Flemish style.
History
In the picturesque maze of Vieux-Lille, some houses alone tell the story of several centuries of urban history and craftsmanship. This house, protected as a Historic Monument by a decree dated 12 February 1927, is one of these: discreet in appearance, it is a precious architectural testimony to the way of building and living in the Flemish metropolis at its height. From the Middle Ages to the 18th century, Lille was one of the most prosperous cities in the former Spanish and then Austrian Netherlands, before becoming fully French. This prosperity was written in stone - or more precisely in brick - through a fabric of bourgeois and merchant houses, some of which, like this one, have miraculously survived the wars and renovations of the 19th century. Protected very early on, from the 1920s onwards, it benefited from pioneering heritage recognition. The visit begins in the street itself: the façade, with its rhythm of windows, pilasters or cornices depending on the period of construction, fits harmoniously into the built front characteristic of the old Lille street. To stop here is to take the time to decipher an architectural vocabulary shaped by exchanges between local craftsmen, Spanish influences and contributions from the Northern Renaissance. The surrounding district, Vieux-Lille, is an open-air museum in itself. The house fits in like a piece of an exceptional heritage jigsaw, just a stone's throw from the Grand-Place, the rue de la Monnaie and their 17th-century houses. Photographers, architecture enthusiasts and curious walkers will find plenty here for lasting contemplation.
Architecture
The architecture of this house in Lille reflects the building traditions of the former French Flanders, heirs to the building genius of the former Southern Netherlands. Brick, the king material in this northern region where cut stone is rare and expensive, is the main material, combined with quoins and surrounds in Belgian bluestone or local sandstone, depending on the period of construction. According to Lille custom, the roof is probably steeply pitched and covered in slate or Flemish tiles, ending in a gable on the street - an emblematic feature of the urban landscape of Vieux-Lille. The façade is probably arranged vertically in bays punctuated by small-paned or mullioned windows, topped by a cornice that emphasises the roofline. The sculpted details - ornate window keystones, horizontal bands, pilasters or medallions - attest to the care given to social representation in this bourgeois domestic architecture. Vaulted cellars, common in old houses in the centre of Lille, once provided essential storage space for commerce. The interior, in the typical style of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century residences in Lille, is probably organised around a deep floor plan, with a succession of rooms opening onto the street and the courtyard, providing light and ventilation in a dense urban fabric. Any wood panelling, Delft tiles or fireplaces with sculpted mantels are typical interior features of Flemish refinement.
Related Figures
Louis XIV — roi de France qui conquit Lille en 1667, intégrant la ville et ses maisons au patrimoine françaisVauban — ingénieur militaire qui fortifia Lille après sa conquête et influença l'urbanisme de la villeLes échevins de Lille — magistrats municipaux qui réglementèrent la construction et l'alignement des façades du Vieux-Lille aux XVIIe et XVIIIe sièclesLes marchands drapiers lillois — commanditaires des grandes demeures bourgeoises du XVIIe siècle dont cette maison est l'héritièreLes services des Beaux-Arts de la IIIe République — inspecteurs des Monuments Historiques qui accordèrent la protection en 1927
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison located?
Maison is located in Lille, Nord department, Hauts-de-France region, France.
When was Maison built?
Maison dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison open to visitors?
Maison is currently closed to visitors.