Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hotel de Grateloup, located in Puy-en-Velay in Haute-Loire, is a medieval monument built between the 13th and 14th centuries. Adjacent to the cathedral, it was occupied by the Dolphins of Vienna during this period. Its architecture combines a structure in volcanic stone (breast) and arkose, with a partially closed inner courtyard, a chapel decorated with 14th century painted decorations, and two levels of vaulted cellars.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the hotel was enlarged westward, becoming a larger private hotel, sharing its garden with the hotel Saint-Vidal, then owned by the same owner. The facades, regular on street and garden, house richly decorated interiors: woodwork, fireplaces, an 18th century oratory in stucco, and a room with murals from the 17th to 18th centuries. The chapel, overlooking Rue Saint-Georges, preserves figurative frescoes probably dated from the early 14th century.

From the beginning of the 20th century, the hotel was ceded to the diocese of Puy. He successively served as an episcopal residence, a manecantery, and then a dwelling for the canons and priests of the cathedral. Ranked a historic monument in February 2021, it illustrates the architectural and functional evolution of a medieval building transformed into an aristocratic residence and then a religious place.

The medieval part revolved around an inner courtyard, formerly along a busy alley. The private chapel, located above the sloped street and the Grateloup gate (closing the canonical enclosure), bears witness to its strategic and symbolic importance. The vaulted cellars and painted decorations, revealed by recent polls, highlight its medieval heritage.

Hotel Grateloup is distinguished by its L-shaped plan, its stone wall staircase, and a narrow staircase leading to the cellars. Modern extensions contrast with the medieval structure, offering classic facades and refined interior spaces. Today owned by the diocesan association, there remains a remarkable example of the architectural and historical heritage of the Liguria.

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