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Origin and history

Place Henri-IV, located in the city centre of Vannes (Morbihan), is a square square of about 20 meters side, or 400 m2. It is located on the heights of the hill of Mené, in the intramural of the city. Bordered by half-timbered houses of the 15th and 16th centuries, it communicates with nearby streets and squares such as the Place Saint-Pierre, the cathedral, or the rue des Chanoines. Its original Breton name, Men-Guevr (goatstone), evolved into Mallièvre in the 18th century, before being renamed the place of the Department during the Revolution, then placed Henri-IV in the 19th century.

The houses of numbers 1, 2, 5 and 6 of the square have been protected as historical monuments since 1929. Their facades, elevations and roofs, typical of Breton medieval architecture, were inscribed by decree of 25 January 1929. House n°2 has a peculiarity: a beam engraved with the inscription "The sleeping cat is blinded". In the 19th century, the square was home to a bird market, animated by local sellers called Pilorgets, which offered linottes and cartonnerets.

Although not located directly on the square, the house on 32 rue des Chanoines, a neighbour, was also protected by an order of 11 February 1929. This historic area, close to Saint Peter's Cathedral, illustrates the preserved architectural heritage of Vannes, marked by its medieval past and its urban transformations in the 18th and 19th centuries.

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