Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The house on Rue Terrasse in Clermont-Ferrand is one of the few civilian remains of the medieval Clermont still visible today. Its most remarkable element is a fractured arch portal, typical of 14th century Gothic architecture. This gate, located on the left of the inner courtyard accessible by a vaulted corridor, is distinguished by its trinkets falling on round columns decorated with foliage capitals. A sculpted head of long-haired characters, integrated into the structure, supports the exterior tuning, adding an anthropomorphic touch to the set. The wooden vantail, still in place, illustrates the craftsmanship of the time.

The building was partially protected under the Historic Monuments by an order of 18 August 1988, specifically covering the door and its vantail (cadastral reference IK 179). This classification underscores the heritage value of the portal, the only medieval vestige remaining in this house transformed over the centuries. The exact location at 8 rue Terrasse corresponds to the address recorded in the Merimée base, although GPS coordinates suggest proximity to number 6. The accuracy of this location is estimated as fair (note 5/10), reflecting uncertainties associated with urban changes.

The portal, with its arch in third-point with multiple windows, embodies the stylistic features of late Gothic in Auvergne. The superimposed capitals and sculpted head recall the influence of local workshops, where religious art blended with secular motifs. Although the house has lost its original function, this architectural detail offers an overview of urban life in the Middle Ages, where bourgeois or artisanal houses had decorative elements reflecting the status of their owners. No information is available on the latter, nor on the precise use of the building in medieval times.

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