Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house, located in Albi in the historic district of Rue de la Grand-Côte, dates mainly from the seventeenth century but incorporates medieval remains visible on its north elevation. It is in the immediate vicinity of the Tarn and Pont Vieux, occupying a trapezoidal plot between the Quai Choiseul and the street. The building preserves traces of a medieval double-rolled arcade, partially destroyed, as well as fragments of brick-geminated bays, surmounted by a landfill arch. These medieval elements, although disturbed by modern openings, attest to a partial reconstruction linked to the development of the wharf.

The west façade, on the Grand-Côte Street, contrasts with its classic 17th century style: a monumental door flanked by pilasters and surmounted by a carved pediment dominates the stone ground floor. The brick floors feature rectangular stone-crossed bays, while late 16th-century wall paintings remain inside, beneath the attic. The area, a former fief of the Saint-Salvi chapter in the 14th century, has undergone urban changes, such as the widening of the rue de la Dongue to extend the quay to the Old Bridge.

The archives show that the house belonged to Sieur Delecouls in 1755, then to Étienne Lacombe in 1791, before being divided into several plots in the 19th century. Its inscription as a Historic Monument in 1971 protects its facades and roofs, highlighting its heritage interest. The medieval remains, although partially masked by the 17th century transformations, recall its origin linked to the fortifications and the Tarn Gate, mentioned in the documents of the 18th century.

Catherine Guiraud's analysis (op. cit.) highlights the evolution of the building, including the disappearance of the medieval venom (street of the Biscontia) and the integration of the house into a larger whole after land exchanges with the chapter or city. Architectural changes, such as the almost total reconstruction on the Tarn side, reflect the adaptations to successive urban developments, while retaining remarkable decorative elements, such as the curved front and ball balusters of the entrance door.

External links