Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The houses on Rue Gambon in Bourges date from the period between the 15th and 16th centuries. Their construction follows the devastating fire of 1487, which deeply marked the city's urban landscape. These houses are distinguished by their wooden structure, typical of the period, with octagonal poles decorated with ground capitals and buticular bases. A curved beam separates the floors, allowing a slight projection of the second level, common technique to gain space in the city.

The facade of these houses features remarkable architectural details, such as a wooden door carved from cabbage motifs. The decorative accolade, instead of finishing with a classic flower, is surmounted by a tuft of foliage forming a cap, a rare ornamental element. These characteristics reflect the influence of late Gothic and Renaissance styles, then emerging in the region.

Classified as a Historic Monument since 1933, these houses have been protected for their facade and roof, reflecting the heritage importance of this type of civil architecture. Their location in the city centre, at 33 rue Gambon, makes it an accessible example of the bourgeois or artisanal habitat of the late Middle Ages in the Berry.

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