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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The House of the Alders of Billom, located on Pertuybout Street, is an emblematic building of the 15th and 16th centuries, although it had never been sheltered by aldermen. In Billom, local power was exercised by consuls elected annually, according to a charter granted by the bishop of Clermont, lord of the city. This house, built around 1470, could have belonged to one of these consuls, although this hypothesis remains uncertain. It illustrates the political and social organization of the city at the end of the Middle Ages, marked by relative autonomy under the episcopal authority.

The construction was carried out in several phases, with a first slice around 1470, followed by subsequent renovations and expansions, notably in the seventeenth century. The building is distinguished by its Darkose stone staircase tower, its sill windows, and a closed courtyard, typical of the civil architecture of the period. Despite transformations in the 20th century, it retains original elements such as a gate on the street, a well, and a chimney on the first floor.

Ranked a historic monument in 1919, the house was restored between 1920 and 1923, then in the second half of the 20th century. In 1905, a project to acquire a museum by the city was envisaged, without further action. Today, it bears witness to Billom's urban history and its preserved medieval heritage.

The materials used, such as seams and cutting stones, reflect the local resources and construction techniques of the time. The openings on the ground floor, transformed over the centuries, reveal the adaptation of the building to the changing needs of its occupants. Its ranking in 1919 underlines its heritage importance, both for its architecture and for its role in the city's consular history.

The assumption of his membership in a consul, although unconfirmed, reinforces his historical interest. The house, organised around an inner courtyard, combines living spaces and outbuildings, illustrating the lifestyle of the urban elites of the Renaissance. The restoration work has helped to preserve key elements, such as dust windows and original coatings, while adapting the building to contemporary standards.

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