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Key figures

Origin and history

The house at 21 Place de la Cité in Courpière, in Puy-de-Dôme, is a remarkable example of 15th century medieval civil architecture. It illustrates the current model in the Livradois, where merchants occupied the ground floor for their trade, as evidenced by the arcade in the handle of a molded basket, while the wooden floor was used as a dryer. This type of construction reflected local economic activities, combining habitat, storage and sale.

The structure preserves original architectural elements, such as the sandstone divided into six spans by posts and spacers on two levels. The openworked triangular pediment, adorned with polylobed feasts and clover, as well as the skylight illuminating the attic, underline the care given to the decoration despite the utility function of the building. The house, which has been protected since 1988 for its facades and roofs, embodies the heritage of wood-paned houses in Courpière, often composed of two masonry levels and a wooden floor.

Ranked Historic Monument by order of 30 December 1988, this house now belongs to a private company. Its exceptional state of preservation, including most of its original pierces, makes it a valuable testimony to the constructive techniques and way of life of the Livradois merchants at the end of the Middle Ages. Localization, although considered a priori satisfactory (note 6/10), remains a study point for local historians.

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