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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The house next to the square town gate is a large medieval residence located in Villeneuve, Occitanie, whose origins date back to the 15th century. It leans against the Soubirane Gate and the fortified enclosure of the city, occupying a space structured around a central courtyard and four building bodies. The original façade, oriented towards the rue de la Porte Soubirane, remains only partially: its southern angle and a lateral elevation on the Cavalier impasse retain significant traces. On the ground floor, a door and arch in chamfreined broken arches attest to its Gothic style, while on the floors, rectangular days and parpaing stones reveal later developments. The materials, a mixture of square limestone and cut stone, highlight a careful construction, especially on the second floor.

The present building results from a major reconstruction in the late 15th or early 16th century, replacing almost entirely an older house (XIIIth–XIVth century). The preserved elements, such as broken arcades, a chamfered pedestal, or a floor cord suggest a transition between Gothic and Renaissance. The house is distinguished by its cross and semi-crossed with larmies, falling back on carved caps, and its ground frames with crossed rods, characteristic of an aristocratic hotel. The entrance gate, with its quarter-round legs and its curved segment arch, reinforces this impression of prestige. Four iron racks on the façade could date from the first condition of the building, testifying to its residential and possibly commercial use.

Classified as a Historical Monument by decree of 17 February 1928, this house illustrates the evolution of domestic architecture in Villeneuve, between defensive function (near the enclosure) and social representation (sculpted decorations, large size). Its location, at 12260 Villeneuve (Aveyron), and its approximate address at 5137 rue de la Porte Soubirane make it a local heritage marker, although its precise location is considered only "passable" (note 5/10). Sources, such as Monumentum, emphasize its interest in understanding urban transformations between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

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