Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house of Bourges, built in the 3rd quarter of the 15th century, is a testimony of late medieval civil architecture. It was built in 1463 by Philibert Guérin, a barber, on land ceded by the chapter of Saint-Ursin, provided that a three-storey house was built. Today, only two levels remain: a ground floor transformed into a modern shop and a first floor whose facade, partially covered with coating, retains traces of its original structure.

The Cornelian post, decorated with a gothic niche with openwork and supported by three carved heads, is the most remarkable element of the house. This architectural detail, of great finesse, illustrates the persistent influence of Gothic style in bourgeois constructions of the period. The façade on the Rue des Juifs, on the other hand, presents a corbelled floor, resting on a moulure beam, while wooden posts with capitals delimit decorated compartments of the cross of Saint Andrew.

Classified as a Historical Monument since 1950 for its facades and roofs, this house reflects Bourges' urban practices at the end of the Middle Ages. Its history is linked to local crafts, as evidenced by its first owner, Philibert Guérin, a barber, whose profession was essential in the daily and social life of the city. Subsequent changes, including the modernization of the commercial front, underline the continuous adaptation of historic buildings to the changing needs of the inhabitants.

The location of the house, at the corner of Bourbonnoux streets and of the Jews, suggests its integration into a probably lively neighbourhood, where artisanal activities and housing coexisted. Although modified over the centuries, the structure retains valuable clues about wood-pan construction techniques and urban life in Bourges before the Renaissance. Its present state, with parts masked by coatings, invites a careful reading to perceive its hidden riches.

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