Destroyer fire 1487 (≈ 1487)
Origin of the current reconstruction.
1545
Partial reconstruction
Partial reconstruction 1545 (≈ 1545)
After another fire.
XVe siècle
Initial construction
Initial construction XVe siècle (≈ 1550)
Alloted to the Houet family after fire.
1914
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 1914 (≈ 1914)
Official protection of the building.
1915
Restoration by Boeswillvald
Restoration by Boeswillvald 1915 (≈ 1915)
Repair of the burned frame.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
House of the 15th century (Box IO 64): Order of 21 February 1914
Key figures
Famille Houet - Notable and original owners
Anoblis by the echivinage of Bourges.
Boeswillvald - Master of the restoration
Post-fire intervention in 1915.
Origin and history
The Houet House, located in Bourges, is a remarkable example of medieval civil architecture in wooden strips. Built in the 15th century, it is attributed to the Houet family, local notables anoblised by the echevinage. Its structure, typical of the bourgeois houses of the time, includes a commercial ground floor, two floors and an attic, with facades decorated with sculptures representing fruits and animals.
The building underwent several major changes: a partial reconstruction in 1545 after a fire, and a restoration in 1915 by Boeswillvald following a new disaster that destroyed the structure. The interiors, modified in the 18th century, contrast with the original façade, classified as Historic Monument since 1914. The richly carved entrance door and the diamond-shaped cross-section underline its status as aristocratic residence.
Maison Houet embodies Bourges' urban evolution, marked by recurrent fires and reconstructions. Its location on Gordaine Square, in the historic heart, reflects the importance of merchant families in the development of the city at the end of the Middle Ages. Today, it remains a tangible testimony of this architectural and social heritage.
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