Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Leygonie House, located in Brive-la-Gaillarde (Corrèze), is an iconic building dating back to the 14th century, as evidenced by the remains of a skeleton, broken hanger doors, and filled windows preserved on the façade. These elements, along with a 14th-century fireplace, suggest that it may be a private hotel or a large house surrounded by a private garden, which is now extinct. The traces of medieval wall decor, partially destroyed during restorations, confirm its seniority and initial prestige.

In the 16th century, the house was profoundly redesigned, with a Renaissance style marked by a facade with ground bays, a straight staircase with superimposed galleries (in masonry, with a right fly and a rotating neighborhood), and fireplaces with decorated leggings. The building, of trapezoidal plan, incorporates a rectangular extension housing the stairway, formerly serving a symmetrical construction visible on the cadastre of 1823, now extinct. The materials used – local sandstone (brasier) and fine Grammont sandstone for framing – reflect regional resources.

Between 1821 and 1839, the façade on Rue de la Petite-Place was aligned and redone, changing its original appearance. In the 17th century, part of the house was rebuilt, with the addition of a bossed fireplace and an open exterior staircase, serving a courtyard that had since become the public passage of the Doctrinaires. The 14th century remains, such as the dust windows, which once illuminated a large hall, coexist with elements from the 16th and 17th centuries, illustrating a rare architectural stratification.

Classified as a Historical Monument in 1979, Leygonie House was completely restored in 1982, during which the first and second floors of the bays were restored in comparison with those of the Raymondie Hotel in Martel (Lot). Protected areas include facades, roofs, stairs with galleries, and four historic chimneys. Now a municipal property, the building houses administrative services, after being acquired by the city.

The building is distinguished by its broken rump roof, its vaulted basement in a cradle, and a slate-like feel on the west wall, added during restorations. Its history reflects the urban transformations of Brive-la-Gaillarde, between medieval heritage, Renaissance adaptations, and integration into the modern fabric. The presence of five medieval doors on the ground floor and 14th-century filling windows makes it an exceptional testimony of correzian civil architecture.

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