Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The 16th century house in Blois is an example of Renaissance architecture. Its facade features a carved bas-relief representing a salamander, framed in a trapezoidal motif decorated with pearls, with a blue painted background. This decorative detail, typical of the first Renaissance, bears witness to the artistic influence of the period and the importance attached to the ornamentation of bourgeois or aristocratic houses.

In the inner courtyard, a winged pavilion preserves 15th-century crosswood panels, revealing a partially integrated anterior construction. The house itself was built before 1547, as attests to the movement of the facade on courtyard, characteristic of the first Renaissance. In the 17th century, the windows of the street façade were redesigned, while in the last quarter of the 19th century, the interior distributions (couloirs, stairs) underwent modifications to adapt to modern usages.

Classified as a Historical Monument, this house illustrates the architectural evolution between the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Only the 16th century bas-relief, embedded in the façade, has been granted official protection since a decree of 25 November 1946. Its address, 48-50 rue Denis-Papin, places the monument in the historic centre of Blois, a city marked by its royal heritage and Renaissance residences.

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