Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The first canonical houses of Noyon were built as early as the 12th century, organized in a concentric way around the episcopal palace and canonial buildings, riding on the original enclosure of the city. These houses, built by the canons, reflected their status and proximity to the episcopal power. Their radiant arrangement from the religious centre symbolically marked their role in the local ecclesiastical hierarchy.

In 1552, a devastating fire ravaged Noyon, almost completely destroying medieval canonical houses. Only a few cellars and two gables of the present presbytery escaped the flames. The reconstruction took place mainly in the 17th and 18th centuries, during which period the houses were restored or rebuilt, adopting the architectural styles of the classical and Baroque eras. This work marked a break with the Middle Ages, while continuing the residential and institutional vocation of the site.

In the 20th century, canonical houses were the subject of successive heritage protections. In 1943, the land including the monumental gate and the wall bordering the Place du Parvis was classified as a Historic Monument. In 2007, the portals, the hemicycle wall and the archaeological floors were inscribed, followed in 2020 by the inscription of canonical house n°5 in its entirety. These measures highlight the historical and archaeological value of the site, linked to nearly nine centuries of religious and urban history.

The canonial ensemble, located in Place du Parvis (specific address: 8 Place du Parvis, 60400 Noyon), today illustrates the architectural and social evolution of the Canons, from their medieval installation to their adaptation to the norms of modern times. Archaeological remains and protected elements provide material evidence of the transformations that the city is undergoing, between destruction, reconstruction and heritage preservation.

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