Maison de Rennes
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison de Rennes, located in Rennes (Département 35), 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
- Rennes, Département 35, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.1118, -1.6826
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090746
In the heart of the old town of Rennes, this timber-framed house, listed as a Historic Monument, embodies the medieval soul of a city over two thousand years old, with its carved half-timbering that has defied the centuries.
History
In the labyrinth of cobbled streets in the historic centre of Rennes, some timber-framed houses seem to have stopped time. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1942, this timber and cob house is part of an exceptional heritage that has survived destruction, including the terrible fire of 1720 that ravaged much of the town. Its very existence is already a form of architectural miracle. The timber-framed houses of Rennes are an irreplaceable testimony to the civil architecture of the Middle Ages and the Breton Renaissance. Their corbelled facades, exposed beams and sculpted decorations tell the story of a merchant and bourgeois society that, from the 15th to the 17th century, made Rennes one of the most prosperous towns in Brittany. This house is fully in keeping with this building tradition, in which local oak gave substance to the ambitions of notables and merchants. The visit begins as soon as you approach the façade: the play of light and shadow on the carved timbers, the successive corbels that seem to want to meet from one street to the next, the warmth of the wood with the patina of centuries of history. Looking at this residence from the street is an instant way of understanding why Rennes is regarded as one of the best preserved open-air museums of medieval architecture in western France. The surrounding district - probably the areas around Place Sainte-Anne, Rue Saint-Michel or the Parliament district - contains a remarkable density of similar architectural features, forming a coherent whole in which the house takes on its full meaning. Each façade interacts with its neighbours, and each sculpted detail reveals the social standing and aesthetic aspirations of its patron. Whether you're an architecture enthusiast, an urban history buff or simply a walker in search of authenticity, you'll find plenty to marvel at.
Architecture
The house is characterised by its timber-framed structure, a construction technique that consists of a load-bearing framework of oak posts and beams, the gaps between which are filled with cob - a mixture of clay, straw and sometimes animal hair - or bricks. This technique, which required little material and was quick to install, also allowed for a great deal of decorative freedom, thanks to the carvings applied to the exposed wooden elements. The facade is probably typical of Rennes residences from this period: successive corbels allowing each storey to overhang slightly onto the public thoroughfare, corner posts and runners adorned with sculpted motifs - foliage, grotesque figures, allegorical scenes or geometric motifs - in keeping with the fashion of the period. Mullioned windows, dormer windows and wooden eaves generally complete a well-balanced, carefully designed facade. The materials used reflect the local resources of inland Brittany: oak from the Armorican forests for the structure, slate from quarries in Anjou or Brittany for the roof, a dark characteristic that gives the Rennes roofs their visual identity. According to the customs of the time, the interior would have included a lower room for commercial or craft use on the ground floor and living quarters on the upper floors, served by a wooden or stone spiral staircase.
Related Figures
Maîtres charpentiers rennais des XVe-XVIIe siècles, artisans anonymes de l'architecture à pans de boisJacques Gabriel, architecte de la reconstruction de Rennes après l'incendie de 1720Bourgeois et négociants rennais, commanditaires des grandes demeures à colombagesParlementaires bretons, occupants typiques des demeures bourgeoises du centre de RennesInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques ayant instruit le dossier d'inscription de 1942
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison de Rennes located?
Maison de Rennes is located in Rennes, Département 35 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Maison de Rennes built?
Maison de Rennes dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison de Rennes open to visitors?
Maison de Rennes is currently closed to visitors.
