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Origin and history

The building located 1 Place du Château-Vieux in Bayonne is a 14th century building, the main feature of which lies in its cellar. This, among the most important preserved in the city, is composed of five vaulted bays of dogives. The arches, adorned with a large tore underlined by a net with an oversized profile, and the arch keys decorated with circular rings, illustrate the Gothic architecture of the era. The back of the nave preserves the remains of an ancient staircase, while a funeral slab, attributed to Bishop Gaspard de Prielle, bishop of Bayonne from 1681 to 1688, would remain at one end.

A circular transenne, pierced in the third span, allows to illuminate the cellar from a well whose margin has been found. This natural light system, combined with the vaulted structure, reveals medieval construction techniques adapted to urban basements. The cellar, classified as Monument Historique by order of 1 February 1988, is a rare testimony of the underground installations of Bayonne, combining practical functions and funeral elements.

The building itself, although less documented than its cellar, is part of the historical fabric of Place du Château-Vieux, a central place in Bayonne. Its listing in the inventory of Historic Monuments highlights its heritage importance, linked both to its architecture and its past use, probably associated with domestic or commercial activities specific to a medieval port city.

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