Construction of building XIVe siècle (≈ 1450)
Estimated period of the vaulted cellar.
1er février 1988
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 1er février 1988 (≈ 1988)
Registration of the old cellar.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Former Cave (Case BX 38): entry by order of 1 February 1988
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character cited
Sources do not mention any historical actors.
Origin and history
The building at 5 rue de la Monnaie in Bayonne dates from the 14th century. It is distinguished by its cellar, composed of a unique nave vaulted in cradle, reinforced by four double arches with chamfers. These arcs fall on a cornice running through the walls, while a shallow niche extends the bottom of the room. The sober and functional architecture of this cellar bears witness to the local medieval construction techniques.
Ranked Historic Monument by order of 1 February 1988, this old cellar (cadastre BX 38) is the only protected part of the building. The accuracy of its location is estimated as "passible" (note 5/10), and the official address corresponds to the GPS coordinates available. The building now belongs to a public establishment, but the information on its access (visits, rental) is not specified in the sources.
Bayonne, a strategic town in southwestern France in the Middle Ages, was a commercial and cultural hub. The vaulted cellars like this were often used for the storage of goods (wine, salt, foodstuffs) or for artisanal purposes. Their preservation sheds light on the economic and urban life of the period, in a region marked by exchanges between France, Spain and the Atlantic.
