Maison médiévale
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison médiévale, located in Figeac (Département 46), 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
- Figeac, Département 46, Occitanie
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 44.6091, 2.0327
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00135461
In the heart of medieval Figeac, this 13th-century house boasts a remarkably sober Gothic facade, an intact example of Quercy's civil architecture at a time when the town had a powerful influence throughout the Haut-Quercy region.
History
Nestling in the maze of narrow streets for which Figeac is famous, this medieval house is one of the most discreet but authentic landmarks in the Lot's built heritage. Its 13th-century façade stands like a petrified fragment of the Middle Ages in the midst of an urban fabric where each stone tells the story of several centuries of history. What makes this building unique is precisely the legible coexistence of two eras in the same built volume. The ground floor and the Gothic facade retain the austere, functional rigour of Quercy's medieval civil architecture, with its characteristic arcatures and careful bonding of pale Lot limestone. The upper floors, remodelled in the 18th century, bear witness to a pragmatic adaptation to the tastes and needs of an era more concerned with bourgeois comfort, without, however, erasing the medieval substratum that gives it all its value. Figeac, the birthplace of Jean-François Champollion, has a historic centre with a wealth of heritage that is rare in Occitanie. To walk up to this house is to immerse yourself in a district where the soleilhos - the open loggias so typical of Quercy architecture - sit side by side with timber-framed facades and private mansions. The building fits into this architectural continuum with a sober but undeniable presence. The experience of visiting it is above all an external one: from the street, the attentive visitor will be able to decipher the layers of time inscribed in the stone. The medieval facade reveals its secrets to those who take the time to look up: the modenature, the jambs, the rhythm of the openings. An ideal moment of contemplation for anyone interested in the history of French civil architecture outside the great castles and cathedrals.
Architecture
The 13th-century facade forms the architectural heart of the building and justifies its heritage interest. Built of fair Quercy limestone, a material that is ubiquitous in Figeac construction, it displays the typical characteristics of southern Gothic civil architecture: careful attention to detail, measured proportions, and a set of openings whose layout reflects the hierarchy of functions - business below, residential above. The medieval bays, probably with lancet or pointed arches, bear witness to a mastery of construction that can be seen in the grand residences of the historic centre of Figeac, which is listed as one of the most beautiful in France. The upper floors were remodelled in the 18th century, introducing a more sober and rational architectural vocabulary, typical of provincial classicism. The windows are wider, with discreet moulded frames, seeking to maximise the amount of light without breaking the overall harmony with the medieval base. This cohabitation of two styles, far from being dissonant, produces a stratigraphic reading of the building that is particularly instructive for anyone interested in the evolution of French domestic architecture over several centuries. The fact that only part of the building has been listed as a Monument Historique suggests that it is the medieval façade that is protected, with the eighteenth-century parts considered to be of lesser heritage interest. The ensemble is part of the remarkable urban landscape of Figeac, a town whose medieval centre is often compared to those of Sarlat or Cordes-sur-Ciel for the quality and coherence of its architecture.
Related Figures
Bourgeois consulaires figeacois du XIIIe siècle (commanditaires présumés)Artisans maçons quercinois du XIIIe siècle (bâtisseurs de la façade médiévale)Propriétaires du XVIIIe siècle (responsables du remaniement des étages)Jean-François Champollion (enfant illustre de Figeac, dont la ville abrite le patrimoine médiéval environnant)Inspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (auteurs de l'inscription de 1995)
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison médiévale located?
Maison médiévale is located in Figeac, Département 46 department, Occitanie region, France.
When was Maison médiévale built?
Maison médiévale dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison médiévale open to visitors?
Maison médiévale is currently closed to visitors.