Timeline

Origin and history

The house located at 10 Rue Rousseau-Deslandes in Beaune is the oldest preserved medieval residence in the city, dating from the 13th century. Its floor, on the street side, preserved its original arrangements, including a series of 8 contiguous bays forming a skeleton, an architectural party inspired by Cluny but rare in Burgundy. These bays, surmounted by full tympanos adorned with trilobes, are separated alternately by columns or pilasters with crochus capitals, testifying to a craftsmanship exceptional for the time. This opening system, both aesthetic and functional, gives the facade a unique character in the region.

The ground floor, however, underwent several changes, notably in the seventeenth century, partially erasing its medieval appearance. On the court side, the transformations have been even more radical: the interior distribution has been completely redesigned to adapt to modern usages, to the point of making the original plan unrecognizable. Today integrated into a charitable institution, the house thus combines the remains of the Middle Ages with subsequent developments, reflecting its evolution over the centuries. Its inscription as a Historic Monument in 1925 (fall and roof) underscores its heritage value, despite the alterations suffered.

The building is also distinguished by its clunisian inspiration, visible in the treatment of berries, which contrasts with local Burgundy traditions. This architectural detail suggests cultural exchanges or artisanal movements between Cluny and Beaune in the 13th century. Although the courtyard and interior have lost their medieval configuration, the Rue Rousseau-Deslandes facade remains a valuable testimony of Burgundy urban habitat before the major changes of the Modern Times. Its current state, between conservation and adaptation, makes it an emblematic example of the challenges posed by the preservation of built heritage.

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