Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Jailles House, also known as Jaille House, is an eclectic mansion built in the second half of the 19th century. It is located at 7 rue Auguste-Gué, in the town of Agen, in Lot-et-Garonne (Nouvelle-Aquitaine). This building was designed for the engineering engineer Alexander Jaille (1819–89), with plans and works led by the departmental architect Léopold Payen in 1874. Its architecture blends a variety of influences, such as a Mansart roof adorned with Renaissance-inspired mascarons, and an interior decor combining Louis XV style woodwork and Louis XVI style paintings.

The honorary stairwell is one of the most remarkable elements of the house. It opens onto two-column portals and is completely covered with multicoloured marble panels, evoking the taste of the seventeenth century. This mixture of styles and materials reflects architectural eclecticism in vogue in the 19th century, when local elites, such as engineers or industrialists, built ostentatious urban residences to display their social status.

Jailles House was listed as a historic monument on December 20, 2002, recognizing its heritage value. Today, it bears witness to the architectural and social history of Agen, as well as the know-how of the local artisans of the time. Its state of conservation and its possible openness to the public are not specified in available sources.

External links