Initial construction fin XIVe siècle (≈ 1495)
First hotel built by the chestnuts.
1542
Repair work
Repair work 1542 (≈ 1542)
Destruction of a barn, renovation of the tower.
fin XVe siècle
Polygonal tower
Polygonal tower fin XVe siècle (≈ 1595)
Rare construction inspired by Flanders.
milieu XVe–fin XVIe siècle
Raville family period
Raville family period milieu XVe–fin XVIe siècle (≈ 1661)
Major remodeling under their auspices.
XVIIIe siècle
Renovations
Renovations XVIIIe siècle (≈ 1850)
Left part strongly modified.
27 mai 1980
MH classification
MH classification 27 mai 1980 (≈ 1980)
Partial registration for historical monuments.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Stairs tower on the north side; remains of Gothic and Renaissance era on the south, east and north facades; bay on the first floor on the north side with its wrought iron balcony; arcade linking the building to the neighbouring building on the west façade (Box 4 46): inscription by order of 27 May 1980
Key figures
Famille de Raville - Brown captains
Owners and sponsors of the works.
Bernard de Raville - Family member
Initiator of post-1542 works.
Origin and history
The Hotel de Raville is a former mansion located in Thionville, in the Moselle department (Great East). Built from the end of the 14th century by the Chatelan captains of the city, it belongs mainly to the Raville family between the mid 15th and late 16th centuries. Its Gothic and Renaissance remains bear witness to successive works, notably in the 15th century and after 1542, when Moselle-side repairs led to the destruction of a barn and the repair of the tower gate under Bernard de Raville.
The corbelled polygonal tower, dated from the late 15th century, is an exceptional architectural element in Lorraine, probably inspired by Flanders. Although the left side of the hotel looks contemporary, it is profoundly redesigned in the 18th century. Subsequent restorations, especially during the German period, as well as its transformation into offices, erased much of the original internal arrangements, making it difficult to read its evolution.
Partially listed as historical monuments since 27 May 1980, the Hotel de Raville retains protected elements such as the north side stair turret, Gothic and Renaissance bays, as well as an arcade linking the building to a nearby building. These remains, though fragmentary, offer an overview of the adaptation of noble architecture in Lorraine to external influences and local defensive needs.
The family of Raville, the Chatelan captains, embodied the local seigneurial power for nearly two centuries. Their home, integrated into the castle of Thionville, reflects their social status and their role in the management of the city. The partial destruction during the 1542 works and subsequent modifications illustrate the tensions between heritage conservation and functional adaptations, a recurring challenge for historical monuments.
Today owned by the municipality, the hotel of Raville is located at the 7-11 courtyard of the Castle and 2-4 rue des Clarisses. Its present state, marked by successive restorations, raises the question of preserving medieval and renaissant traces in a modern urban context. The tower, a rare model in Lorraine, remains the most emblematic element of this complex heritage.
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