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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The arcade houses of the Place du Mercadiou are an iconic architectural complex located in Saint-Macaire, Gironde. These buildings, built between the 15th and 16th centuries, form a quadrilateral around a rectangular square of about 1,500 m2, facing southwest to northeast. Their ground floor, opened by arcades in third points, once housed stalls, creating a covered gallery typical of medieval shopping places. The ensemble, combining Gothic, Renaissance and Henry II styles, offers a rare testimony of commercial urbanism of this time. The arcades were listed as historic monuments by order of 11 March 1935 for their heritage value.

The Place du Mercadiou, also known as Place du Marché-Dieu, was historically a central place in the economic life of Saint-Macaire. Sources mention the existence of an earlier bastide on this site, suggesting continued occupation and commercial activity since the Middle Ages. The facades of the houses, described as a "very curious ensemble" by historians, illustrate the evolution of architectural styles between the 14th and 16th centuries. Léo Drouyn, in a 1860 newsletter, stressed the importance of this site to understand the urban history of the region. Today, these houses remain a remarkable example of medieval and reborn civil architecture in New Aquitaine.

The arcades, a protected element of the monument, are characterized by their arches in third-point, a stylistic peculiarity that distinguishes them. The place, owned by the commune, retains a public vocation, although its current use (visits, events) is not specified in the available sources. Geographic data place the site at 6 Place Mercadiou, confirming its anchoring in the historic heart of Saint-Macaire. Location accuracy is estimated as "passible" (Level 5), possibly reflecting minor uncertainties about the exact boundaries of the monument.

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