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Origin and history

The former prefecture of the Temple of Montferrand, now integrated in Clermont-Ferrand, was built in the 13th century as a dependency of the residence of the master of the province of Aquitaine. After the dissolution of the Order of the Templars in 1312, the site passed to the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem, retaining its role as provincial capital. The chapel still served as a meeting place for the knights, until the transfer of the master's degree to Lyon, leading to its decline.

In the 18th century, in 1786, the Grand Master ordered the demolition of the chapel and the sale of its materials. The remaining buildings, located near the 13th century ramparts, include vaulted cellars on several levels, accessible from a gallery of the medieval cloister. Four spans of this cloister remain on the garden side, bordering the posterior façade of a 15th-century house, formerly called a unicorn house because of its carved tympanum (now at the New York Museum).

The cellars, divided into two levels, have arched and cradle vaults, supported by pillars with various mouldings. The broken arches and wooden formwork traces testify to medieval construction techniques. The facade on street preserves original holes (late 15th century). The ensemble, including courtyard and cellars, has been protected since 1988 as a Historic Monument.

The site illustrates the evolution of military-religious orders in Auvergne, from Templars to Hospitallers, as well as the architectural transformations related to their functions. Its present state reflects both its past importance and the alterations suffered after the loss of its provincial status.

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