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, centred on a large rectangular square intended to accommodate public buildings and aligned houses. This ambitious project included arcades for shops and four large projecting buildings, two of which were actually built: the Town Hall (1777) and a stone building. The other two pavilions, planned opposite, never came into being and were replaced in the 20th century by the Post Office Hotel (1900).

The square, designed in precise geometric proportions, was to symbolize order and regularity, characteristic of the 18th century classical urban planning. The facades and roofs of the building, overlooking the Place and Rue de la République, were protected by a registration order in 1953, recognizing their heritage value. Today, the building belongs to a private company and illustrates the architectural heritage of post-fire reconstruction, marked by the influence of the rational plans of Hardouin.

The fire of 1723 marked a turning point in the history of Châteaudun, offering the opportunity to completely rethink its city centre. The chess plan, inspired by the urbanism of the Enlightenment, aimed to modernize the city while affirming its prestige. Public buildings, such as the city hall, were designed to dominate the urban space, while private buildings, such as the square of October 18, became models of architectural harmony. Their preservation demonstrates the importance attached to this heritage, a reflection of a time when architecture served both as a political and social tool.

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