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, the building controller, was commissioned to redraw the city centre according to a chessboard plan, with a large rectangular square surrounded by public buildings and uniform houses. This square, designed to structure the urban space, was originally to consist of four large projecting pavilions, two of which were later replaced by the Town Hall (1777) and a Post Hall (1900).

The facades and roofs of this building, overlooking the Place du 18-Octobre, were protected by an order of inscription on 18 August 1953 for their heritage value. The original project included arches and symmetrical buildings, but only two pavilions were built, illustrating the successive adaptations of the urban plan. The square, lined with shops, became an economic and administrative core, reflecting the ambitions of post-disaster modernization.

Today, the building testifies to this methodical reconstruction, mixing stone and architectural regularity. Its alignment with the square, with a return to the adjacent streets, recalls Jules Hardouin's ambition to create a harmonious urban setting, marked by geometric rigor and functionality. The protection of facades underlines the importance of this heritage in the urban history of Châteaudun.

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