Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The hotel Cujas, located in Bourges in the Cher department, was built in the 1st quarter of the 16th century for Durand Salvi, a Florentine merchant located in the city. His alleged architect, Guillaume Pelvoysin, erected an iconic Gothic building marked by a red and black brick façade. The building changed hands several times: bought in 1585 by the jurisconsult Jacques Cujas, who died there in 1590, then modified in 1565 under the property of Bernardin Bochetel, bishop of Rennes, with the addition of two turrets.

In the 19th century, the hotel underwent a functional conversion: transformed into a gendarmerie in 1826, it was acquired by the city of Bourges in 1879. After restoration, it became the municipal museum in 1891, then the Berry museum in 1912, preserving regional collections. Its ranking among historical monuments since 1862 underscores its heritage importance, linked to its architecture and its turbulent history.

The hotel Cujas embodies the cultural and economic exchanges of the Renaissance in Berry, mixing Italian influences (via Durand Salvi) and local ones. Its flamboyant Gothic style, with elements such as black brick diamond, reflects the transition to the Renaissance. Today, there remains a major testimony of Bourges' bourgeois heritage, accessible to the public through its museum collections.

Future

Acquired by the city of Bourges in 1877, it is home to the Berry Museum.

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