Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hotel de Manse, located in Montpellier, is a historical monument of the 3rd quarter of the 17th century, representing a striking example of the classical southern architecture. It is distinguished by its quadrilateral around an inner courtyard, where the stairwell, treated in free-column portal, is an innovation for the time. This type of structure, unprecedented in Montpellier, marks a break with medieval traditions still visible in the entrance passage, the only vestige of the original house.

The courtyard façade combines an ionic ground floor and a Corinthian first floor, decorated with square balusters and fire pots between twin columns. An attic decorated with panels, formerly decorated with busts, crowns the ensemble. The stone stairway, built between 1650 and 1670, is based on assembled tubes, illustrating the know-how of the artisans of the time. The hotel owes its renovation to Jacques de Manse, treasurer of France, who entrusted the works to the mason Antoine Arman between 1667 and 1669. The street façade was realigned in 1837, partially changing its exterior appearance.

Listed as a historical monument, the Manse Hotel specifically protects its fronts on courtyard and stairwell, inscribed by order of 8 September 1943. These elements bear witness to the transition between the medieval heritage and the classic canons, while reflecting the prestige of its sponsor, an actor in royal finance under Louis XIV. The building thus embodies the urban and architectural evolution of Montpellier at the dawn of the modern era.

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