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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Hotel de Mucé is a private hotel located in the heart of Rennes, 4 Place du Parlement-de-Bretagne and 2 rue Saint-Georges. Built around 1730, it is part of the vast reconstruction project of the city centre after the great fire of 1720, which devastated much of Rennes. Unlike other buildings in Parliament Square, designed by Jacques Gabriel, this hotel was designed by architect Isaac Robelin, which gives him a distinct architectural identity.

The hotel's sober and harmonious facade is characterized by a ground floor and a granite basement, topped by three white stone floors. A molded frieze, supported by ionic pilasters between each window, runs over the second floor, while a cornice dominates the third. The Mansart roof, pierced by five skylights framed with overturned consoles, adds to the elegance of the ensemble. The remarkable elements, such as the street façade and roofs, were classified as historical monuments in 1959.

The fire of 1720 marked a turning point in Rennes' urban planning, leading to a methodical reconstruction of the city centre according to uniform plans. The houses bordering the Place du Palais, including the Hôtel de Mucé, were built from 1726 in a classical style, reflecting the influence of Parisian and Versailalis architectures. This ambitious project aimed to modernize the city while affirming its prestige, notably through private hotels intended for the aristocracy and the local bourgeoisie.

The hotel of Mucé is also distinguished by the absence of sculptures on the vault keys of its openings, an aesthetic choice that contrasts with the more charged ornaments of some neighbouring buildings. This relative simplicity, combined with the rigour of its lines, makes it a valuable testimony of 18th century civil architecture in Brittany. Its classification as historical monuments underlines its heritage importance and its role in the urban history of Rennes.

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