Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The building in Clermont-Ferrand, dated the 15th century, is distinguished mainly by its staircase turret, the only preserved architectural element of the original building. The facade and the inner courtyard have lost all historical character, leaving this turret as a unique witness to the medieval past of the building. Its late Gothic style, marked by fine mouldings and sculptural details, reflects the construction techniques in vogue in the region at that time.

The door to the turret opens from prismatic bases, framed by pedestals decorated with cellars and toers, one of which carries a decorative net. Broken arch, typical of Gothic architecture, resumes this complex moulding. Above, a tympanum underlined by a moulure lintel houses a relief shield with undetermined coat of arms, topped by a plume crest and surrounded by two interlaced palms. These heraldic elements suggest a command by a noble or affluent family, although its identity remains unknown.

The building was partially protected under the Historical Monuments by an order of 1 July 1986, specifically covering the stair turret and its Gothic gate. This preservation measure aims to safeguard a rare example of medieval civil architecture in an urban context where subsequent transformations have often erased traces of the past. The approximate location between Rue des Gras and Rue du Cheval Blanc indicates a central area of Clermont-Ferrand, historically dense in bourgeois or artisanal habitats.

Available sources, including the Merimée and Monumentum base, highlight the heritage importance of this isolated element. Although the exact address and current state of conservation may vary, the turret remains a tangible marker of the city's architectural history. Its style, combining functionality and decoration, illustrates the transitions between the flamboyant Gothic and the early Renaissance in Auvergne.

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