Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The building of Châteaudun is part of the vast reconstruction project of the city after the great fire of 21 June 1723, which destroyed more than 1,000 houses. Jules Hardouin, building controller, was tasked with developing a new urban plan in chessboard, centered on a large rectangular square. The plan included public buildings, aligned houses, and arcades for shops. The square, designed in precise geometric proportions, was to accommodate four large projecting buildings, two of which were actually built: the Town Hall (1777) and a stone building.

The reconstruction followed a rigorous model: the facades and roofs of the buildings bordering the square (notably those overlooking the streets of Luynes and Marshal-Lyautey) were protected by a decree of 18 August 1953 for their architectural consistency. The two pavilions on the opposite side of the square were never built, leaving room for a post office hotel built in 1900. The ensemble illustrates the urban planning of the Enlightenment, combining functionality and classical aesthetics, in a city marked by its resilience after the disaster.

The building, owned by the municipality, today embodies this reconstructed heritage, where the 18th century stone and subsequent adaptations combine. His inscription in the title of Historical Monuments underscores his role in the urban history of Châteaudun, linked to the desire for post-fire modernization. The place du 18-October, the heart of this project, remains a visible testimony to this ambitious planning, mixing public spaces and regular habitat.

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