Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The former Hotel de Vermandois, located in Senlis, is a rare example of a residential building of Gallo-Roman origin still preserved. Originally, it consisted of only one ground floor and an upper room decorated with blind archatures. Its current architecture, with two square floors and a polygonal staircase turret, results from successive transformations in the 16th, 19th and 20th centuries. The building rests directly on the Gallo-Roman enclosure of the city, and retains remains integrated into its structure.

Raoul de Vermandois, the local lord, was at the origin of his construction before his death in 1152. As early as 1174, the hotel was ceded to the chapter Notre-Dame de Senlis and became a canonial house. In the 16th century, an additional floor was added and a stair turret was erected to facilitate access to the upper levels. The French Revolution marked a turning point: the hotel, confiscated as a national property in 1791, was sold and remodeled, particularly on its western façade at the end of the 18th century.

In the 19th century, the hotel changed its vocation several times. Purchased by the city of Senlis in 1819, it houses a school as early as 1822, then administrative offices after work in 1840 and 1922. A rear wing is added at the end of the century to meet these new uses. Since 1989, the venue has hosted the Vénerie Museum. Two heritage protections now frame the site: the façade with its turret (registered in 1933) and the Gallo-Roman tower (classified in 1942).

The architectural transformations reflect the successive needs of its occupants: medieval clergy, school institution, municipal administration, and then museum space. The cellar, divided into two rooms, and the blind arches of the upper room still bear witness to its original structure, while the upper floors illustrate the later adaptations. The partial integration of the Gallo-Roman rampart underlines the historical link between the monument and the ancient fortifications of Senlis.

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