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Origin and history

The House of the Templars of Caen is a civil building dating from the second half of the 15th and 16th centuries, located at 45 rue Haute, in the historic centre of Caen. Although its name evokes the order of the Templars, no document confirms a direct connection with them: it is only assumed that the land could have belonged to them before the construction of the current house. The building is distinguished by its facade on garden, characteristic of Norman Renaissance architecture, and by a 15th century staircase turret decorated with an angular tube.

The main house body, built in the 16th century, was inscribed as historical monuments on 25 June 1929 for the quality of its ornamentation. The only notable decorative elements of the façade are two large cross-sections, topped by an elegant skylight. The older turret bears witness to the construction techniques of the late Middle Ages. The absence of detailed archives makes the precise history of this building difficult to reconstruct, although its inscription among protected monuments underscores its heritage interest.

Located near the abbey of Les Dames, the house illustrates the urban fabric of Caen during the Renaissance, during which time the city, energized by its political and commercial role in Lower Normandy, sees the development of an architecture combining medieval heritage and stylistic innovations. The building, now closed to the public, remains a discreet but remarkable testimony of this architectural transition. Its exact address, 45 rue Haute (formerly rue Haute-Saint-Gilles), is referenced in the Mérimée base under the code Insee 14118, confirming its anchoring in the Calvados department.

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