Date engraved on the turret 1586 (≈ 1586)
Testimony of construction or renovation.
XVIe siècle
Construction period
Construction period XVIe siècle (≈ 1650)
Renaissance style dominant in the building.
12 novembre 1926
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 12 novembre 1926 (≈ 1926)
Listing of the house in inventory.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Famille De Lignat - Owners and sponsors
Weapons carved on lintels and key.
Origin and history
The Hotel de Lignat, located in Clermont-Ferrand in Puy-de-Dôme, is an emblematic Renaissance monument built in the 16th century. Its facades on street have richly decorated windows, whose lintels bear the arms of the De Lignat family. These decorative elements, typical of reborn art, underline the prestige of its former owners and their anchoring in the local aristocracy.
The inner courtyard reveals a staircase turret surmounted by a gallery, formerly adorned with a sculpture by the Annunciation now partially destroyed. A lily, a central symbol, remains between the figures of the Angel and the Virgin, bearing witness to the religious and artistic influence of the time. Upstairs, a room preserves a keystone to the arms of the De Lignat joined to an unidentified coat of arms, reinforcing the noble character of the place.
The interiors are home to remarkable woodwork and door vants, characteristic of the sixteenth century. An engraved date, 1586, appears on the support of the turret platform, providing a precise chronological landmark. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1926, the hotel illustrates Renaissance civil architecture in Auvergne, combining residential function and family power.
The historic address, 18 rue de la Fontaine (now Rue Jules-Guesde), places the monument in the heart of Clermont-Ferrand, in a neighborhood marked by medieval and reborn urbanization. Its designation as Historic Monuments underscores its heritage value, although its current state of conservation and accessibility remain partially documented.
The De Lignat family, although little mentioned in the sources, appears as the main sponsor of the building. Their coat of arms, repeated in several places, attests to their role in the construction and beautification of the hotel. The absence of biographical details on this line, however, limits the understanding of their exact influence in the region.
The building, now closed to visit according to available data, maintains an approximate location (18 Jules Guesde Street) and a cartographic accuracy deemed "a priori satisfactory". His study is mainly based on architectural descriptions and archives of the Merimée base, without mentioning contemporary uses (rent, guest rooms) in the sources consulted.
