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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The House of Four Seasons is a historic building located in Chalon-sur-Saône, in the department of Saône-et-Loire (Burgogne-Franche-Comté). Built in 1657 for Barthélémy Magnien, lawyer at the Parliament of Burgundy, it embodies the ambition of the local bourgeois elite. Its sculpted decoration, of exceptional richness, was designed to affirm the social status of its sponsor in the Châtelet district, which was then attended by legal professionals. The façade, classified as Historic Monument in 1913, is distinguished by its plaster bas-reliefs representing the four seasons personified by putti, as well as medallions probably inspired by members of the Magnien family.

The sculpted symbols – seasons, lion-shaped gargoyles and pots – illustrate both natural cycling and 17th-century humanistic values. Lions, combining utility (water evacuation) and symbolic (protection), as well as pots (eternity), are rare elements in chalonese private architecture. This unique combination makes the house a heritage jewel, now integrated into the Orbandale tourist circuit. Private property divided into apartments, it retains an explanatory plaque for visitors, testifying to its historical and artistic importance.

The originality of the "House of Four Seasons" lies in its coherent iconographic programme and its remarkable state of conservation. Few private homes of the period offer such a level of sculptural detail, making it a model of provincial baroque art. Its early ranking (1913) underscores its heritage value, while its location at 37 rue du Châtelet makes it a major point of interest for understanding urban planning and the Chalonese society of the Great Century.

Available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) confirm its status as a protected monument, with a facade as the only classified element. Although closed to the visit, its presence in the urban landscape and its integration into tourist routes make it an ambassador of Burgundy heritage. The Merimée data specify its exact address and its Insee code (71076), definitively anchoring its history in the territory of Saône-et-Loire.

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