Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

On 21 June 1723 a fire ravaged Châteaudun, destroying more than a thousand houses. This event marked a turning point in local urban planning, requiring massive and organized reconstruction. Jules Hardouin, then the building controller, was responsible for re-designing the city. He designed a chessboard plan centered on a large rectangular square, intended to accommodate public buildings and uniform houses. This project aimed to modernize the city while structuring its public space.

The square, designed in precise geometric proportions, was to be lined with arcade shops and four large protruding buildings, higher than the nearby buildings. Of these buildings, only two were erected, including the stone town hall, completed in 1777. The other two pavilions on the opposite side of the square never came into being and were replaced, in the 20th century, by a post office hotel built in 1900. This project illustrates the architectural ambitions of the 18th century, combining functionality and classical aesthetics.

The building located in 12 Place du 18-Octobre is part of the constructions resulting from this reconstruction. Its facades and roofs, overlooking the Place and Gambetta Street, were protected by a registration order in 1953, due to their historical and architectural value. This monument thus bears witness to the resilience of Châteaudun after the disaster of 1723 and the influence of rational urban plans inspired by the Enlightenment.

External links