Timeline

Heritage classified

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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, the building controller, was tasked with developing a new urban plan in chessboard, centred on a large rectangular square intended to accommodate public buildings and uniform houses. This square, designed in precise geometric proportions, was to be lined with arcades and four large projecting buildings, only two of which were realized: the town hall (1777) and a stone building.

The reconstruction followed a rigorous model, with aligned facades and harmonized roofs, reflecting the classic 18th century ideal. The two pavilions on one of the large sides of the square were never built, leaving room for a post-hotel built in 1900. The current building, whose facades and roofs have been protected since 1953, illustrates this ambitious urban project, marked by the desire to modernize the city while affirming its architectural prestige.

Hardouin's plan incorporated innovative elements for the time, such as arcade shops and a visual hierarchy between public and private buildings. Although partially realized, this project has profoundly transformed the face of Châteaudun, mixing medieval heritage and the aspirations of the Enlightenment. The building, by its location on the Place du 18-October, embodies this transition between destruction and urban renaissance.

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