Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The bishopric of Carcassonne, built in the 16th century, owes its origin to Jean de Saix, consul of the city in 1500. The latter erects the main house bodies as well as a staircase in screws, while maintaining traces of an earlier construction visible in front. The building thus combines Renaissance elements, such as the door in the middle of the octagonal turret, with older structures, reflecting a marked architectural transition.

At the beginning of the 18th century, in 1701, the bishopric underwent a major enlargement: the front garden was created, masking the old facade, while the turret was connected to the houses' bodies by walls, transforming a gallery into a vestibule. The lateral walls are extended to include adjacent houses, thus changing the original structure. This work reflects a desire to adapt to the residential and representative needs of the time.

In the 19th century, the building was converted into a rental house, resulting in a vertical division of the rooms. In 1930 he became the episcopal residence, marking a return to an institutional function. In 1931, interior changes were made, such as the partial removal of the screw stairway to build an office, and the application of an oil coating on the 16th century foreign exchange ceilings, still preserved. These ceilings, decorated with metopes, as well as the Renaissance door turret, testify to the past prestige of the place.

The turret, an element protected since 1948, has an octagonal structure external and circular inside, with a terrace raised and later covered. Its entrance, typical of the Renaissance, is framed by canned pilasters and Corinthian capitals, highlighting the artistic influence of the period. The ensemble illustrates the evolution of a monument between residential, religious and heritage functions.

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