Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Maison de la Lieutenance is an emblematic building located in Cognac, Charente, in the heart of the medieval town. Built at the end of the 15th century or at the beginning of the 16th century, it is distinguished by its ground floor in cut stone and its floors in wooden strips and light masonry. This mixture of materials, typical of late medieval architecture, makes it a rare testimony of this period in the region, where few monuments of this period remain. The 15th century stairway tower and the sculptures adorning the poles (human and animal heads) reinforce its historical character.

The house owes its name to Pierre de Lacombe, lieutenant-general of Cognac, who resided there from 1603 to 1624, while the town was a secondary senate floor of Angoulême. Over the centuries, it has had a variety of uses: Prunier Cognac Point of Sale in the interwar period, classical music shop, shoemaking workshop, and today, a binding workshop occupies its ground floor. Interior paintings (birds, foliage, volutes) date back to the 17th century, adding an artistic layer after its construction.

Ranked a historic monument since 23 October 1933, the House of La Lieutenance also illustrates modern urban adaptations: a bay of full-fine was pierced to the southeast to illuminate the present workshop, and the attired fountain was moved in 1865. Although owned by a private company (Prunier since 1970), its protected status makes it an inaccessible heritage to visit, but visible from Grande Street, where it stands as a preserved medieval vestige.

Architecturally, the partially vaulted basement and carved decorations recall the construction and ornamentation techniques of the era. The wood panels, combined with a torchi today invisible, reflect traditional methods, while subsequent modifications (paintings, openings) show its functional evolution. The house, also called the Lestrade house, remains a tangible marker of Cognacian history, between seigneurial power (litenance) and contemporary commercial life.

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