Petit Séminaire, ou la Petite Bourdaisière
MonumentHidden Treasure
Petit Séminaire, ou la Petite Bourdaisière, located in Tours (Indre-et-Loire), 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
- Tours, Indre-et-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.3941, 0.6966
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00098266
A jewel of brick and stone from the late 15th century, La Petite Bourdaisière conceals behind its polygonal turret the story of the first tapestries from Tours and the intrigues of the court of François I.
© Wikimedia Commons
History
Nestling on the outskirts of the old town of Tours, in the shadow of the medieval walls that once encircled the city, La Petite Bourdaisière is one of those discreet residences that concentrate several centuries of French life within their pinkish brick walls. Built in the second half of the 15th century, this urban house with a seigniorial character is immediately striking for the elegance of its polygonal staircase turret, the architectural signature of the master builders of the Loire region at the dawn of the Renaissance. What makes this monument truly unique is the interweaving of textile art and high nobility that took place here. According to tradition, the Babou de la Bourdaisière family - whose name still resonates throughout Touraine - set up the first tapestry workshop in Tours during the reign of François I. At a time when tapestry was the most precious of decorative arts, competing with Flemish and Brussels productions, this small suburb building was at the heart of an artistic revolution. Adjoining the chapel of Saint-Michel, La Petite Bourdaisière offers visitors a rare experience: that of an authentic site, spared the radical transformations that have often disfigured more famous monuments. The interior volumes, sculpted details and subtle polychromy of the façade invite slow contemplation, conducive to historical reverie. The setting itself adds to the charm of the building. Situated outside the ancient walls of Tours, the house is reminiscent of the artisan and merchant suburbs that gravitated around the medieval city, areas of freedom and innovation where great destinies were sometimes forged. A must-see for anyone wishing to understand 15th-century Tours beyond the grand cathedral facades.
Architecture
La Petite Bourdaisière is a fine example of late 15th-century civil architecture in Touraine, a region that was, before the Île-de-France, the main laboratory of the French Renaissance. The building adopts the combination of brick and stone typical of the Loire Valley at the time: warm, pinkish brick fills the bays, while tuffeau stone - the soft white limestone so dear to Touraine builders - is reserved for the bay surrounds, stringcourses and sculpted elements. This natural polychromy gives the façade an elegant visual rhythm, halfway between Gothic severity and the ornamental lightness that heralds the Renaissance. The building's most remarkable feature is undoubtedly its polygonal stair turret, set against the façade and providing vertical access to the upper floors. This polygonal shape - as distinct from the older round medieval turret - is typical of noble buildings of the late 15th century in Touraine and Anjou, and can be found on many mansions and manor houses in the region. The mullioned windows, probably with stone mullions, give rhythm to the composition and let generous amounts of light into the interior rooms. The immediate proximity of the chapel of Saint-Michel gives the ensemble an organisation characteristic of seigneurial or bourgeois residences in the late Middle Ages, where domestic and sacred spaces are closely intertwined. Its location outside the walls, on the outskirts of the town, suggests a more generous plot of land than within the urban precinct, perhaps allowing for a garden or courtyard that contributed to the overall composition of the property.
Related Figures
Famille Babou de la Bourdaisière — puissante dynastie tourangelle, propriétaire au XVIe sièclePhilibert Babou — surintendant des finances de François Ier, figure centrale de la familleFrançois Ier — roi de France sous le règne duquel l'atelier de tapisserie aurait été fondéAlexandre Motheron — tapissier, acquéreur de la demeure en 1613Marie Gaudin — épouse de Philibert Babou, réputée pour sa beauté à la cour des Valois
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Petit Séminaire, ou la Petite Bourdaisière located?
Petit Séminaire, ou la Petite Bourdaisière is located in Tours, Indre-et-Loire department, Centre-Val de Loire region, France.
When was Petit Séminaire, ou la Petite Bourdaisière built?
Petit Séminaire, ou la Petite Bourdaisière dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Petit Séminaire, ou la Petite Bourdaisière open to visitors?
Petit Séminaire, ou la Petite Bourdaisière is currently closed to visitors.