Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The wooden house, located at 1 and 3 rue Saint-Lubin in Blois (Loir-et-Cher), is an emblematic building of the early 16th century. Built during the first quarter of this period, it illustrates the architectural transition between late Gothic style and early Renaissance influences. Its decor, characteristic of this pivotal era, combines traditional motifs with innovative elements introduced by the Italian reborn movement. This type of wooden construction, rare for the time in this region, bears witness to the local craftsmanship and urban development of Blois under the influence of the Valois.

Classified as a Historic Monument by the list of 1889, this house received early protection, reflecting its heritage importance. Unfortunately, the building was destroyed in 1940, probably during World War II bombings that hit the city. Today, this wooden house remains documented thanks to the archives of the Merimée base and sources like Monumentum. Its location, in the historic centre of Blois, recalls the dense urbanization of the city during the Renaissance, when the royal court and local elites favoured this type of hybrid construction.

At the time of its construction, Blois was a dynamic city, marked by the intermittent presence of the Court of France. The wooden houses, although less prestigious than the stone buildings, played a central role in everyday life: they housed artisans, merchants and bourgeois. Their careful decor, like that of this house, often reflected the social status of their owners. The destruction in 1940 erased a material testimony of that time, but the archives reconstruct its history and importance in the Renaissance urban landscape.

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