Fire of Châteaudun 21 juin 1723 (≈ 1723)
Destruction of more than 1,000 homes.
1777
Construction of city hall
Construction of city hall 1777 (≈ 1777)
Stone pavilion on the square.
18 août 1953
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 18 août 1953 (≈ 1953)
Protection of facades and roofs.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Façades and roofs on the square with return to Gambetta Street (cad. A 909): inscription by order of 18 August 1953
Key figures
Jules Hardouin - Building Controller
Author of the reconstruction plan.
Origin and history
The building of Châteaudun is part of the reconstruction plan 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 project included public buildings, aligned houses, and arcades for shops, with four prominent pavilions at the ends, two of which were built (such as the Town Hall in 1777).
The square, designed in precise geometric proportions, was to symbolize order and modernity. The facades and roofs of this building, overlooking the Place and rue Gambetta, were inscribed in the Historical Monuments in 1953 for their architectural representativeness. One of the planned pavilions was replaced in the 20th century by the Post Hotel (1900), marking a later urban development.
The exact address of the building, 11 Place du 18-October, corresponds to the reconstructed site after the disaster. Hardouin's plan, although partially realized, illustrates the urbanist principles of the Enlightenment, mixing functionality and classical aesthetics. The current GPS location confirms its anchoring in the historic centre of Châteaudun, in Eure-et-Loir.
