Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hotel of the Civil Diocese of Uzès occupies a location marked by history. According to local authors, this site is said to have housed the former town hall and St. Lawrence Church, the only church that resisted the Wars of Religion in the 17th century. These buildings were destroyed in 1763 by a fire triggered by lightning striking barrels of powder. The town hall was rebuilt elsewhere, while the old site, ceded to an individual between 1765 and 1780, saw the construction of the present building, whose entrance gate and pilasters probably date from that period.

The facade of the Hotel of the Civil Diocese is divided into two distinct parts. To the left, a large entrance leads to a courtyard lined with residential buildings, while to the right stands the old chapel. The gate, framed by pilasters decorated with fire pots, is surmounted by a wrought iron grill of Flemish style, composed of straight bars extended by spirals faced. The pediment, decorated with symmetrical volutes in C and a central floret, as well as the vantals opening to the motifs of volutes, testify to a careful artisanal work. The ionic pilasters of the chapel, with their carved capitals, reinforce the monumental character of the ensemble.

The wrought iron entrance grille, remarkable for its style and ornamental details, was classified as Historic Monument by order of 10 May 1954. This element, along with the pilasters surrounding the entrance, constitute the most emblematic remains of the construction period, between 1765 and 1780. The current address, 25 rue du Docteur-Jean-Blanchard, confirms its anchoring in the historic centre of Uzès, in the department of Gard.

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