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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Old Mont-de-Piété de Valenciennes is a building built in the 1st quarter of the 17th century, located in the northern department (59). This monument, classified and partially inscribed in the Historical Monuments, is distinguished by its architecture linked to this period. It is located at two addresses: 10-12 Place Verte and 34 rue de Hesques, in the city centre of Valenciennes. Its legal status is mixed, combining private and communal property, reflecting its heritage importance and its anchor in local life.

The construction of the Old Piété Mountain is attributed to Wenceslas Cobergher, the prime contractor mentioned in the sources. The building was subject to two separate protective measures: one by order of 27 November 1968 for Parcel AW 69 and one by order of 13 January 1994 for Parcel AW 70. These protections highlight its historical and architectural value. Although the sources do not specify its current use (visit, rental, accommodation), its status as a Historic Monument makes it a remarkable place of Valencian heritage.

Mont-de-Piété, a financial institution designed to combat wear and tear by pawning, is part of a European context marked by the economic and social reforms of the Counter-Reform. In Valenciennes, a city then under Spanish and then French influence, this type of establishment played a key role in the economic stability of urban populations, often precarious. The building thus bears witness to the social and economic dynamics of the region in the seventeenth century, a period of transition between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

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