Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The building of Châteaudun is part of the vast reconstruction project of the city after the devastating 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 lined with public buildings and uniform houses. The arcade facades and pavilions planned on the large sides of the square were to structure this space, although only two of them, including the Town Hall (1777), were constructed.

The square, designed in precise geometric proportions, had to initially consist of four large projecting buildings, higher than the neighbouring buildings. However, the two pavilions on one side were replaced in the 20th century by a post office hotel (1900). The current building, whose facades and roofs on the square (with a return to the streets of Marshal-Lyautey and Madeleine) have been inscribed in the Historical Monuments since 1953, illustrates this ambitious urban project.

The exact address of the building, 9 Place du 18-October, corresponds to the heart of this reconstruction plan. The protected elements reflect the regular and functional architecture designed by Hardouin, mixing stones and rigorous alignments. This heritage reflects both the 18th century construction techniques and the challenges of urban modernization after a disaster.

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