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Masonic Lodge the Perfect Accord in Rochefort en Charente-Maritime

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine urbain
Temple maçonnique

Masonic Lodge the Perfect Accord in Rochefort

    63 Avenue La Fayette
    17300 Rochefort
Ownership of an association

Timeline

Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1800
1900
2000
1776
Foundation of the lodge
1832
Temporary prohibition
1841
Reopening and acquisition
2e quart du XIXe siècle
Construction of the current building
14 avril 2014
Historical Monument
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

In total, the building housing the Masonic lodge, as represented in red on the plan annexed to the order (Box AB 10): classification by order of 14 April 2014

Key figures

Moreau - Painter Author of interior symbolic decorations.

Origin and history

The Masonic Lodge the Accord Parfait was founded in 1776 in Rochefort, but its activity was banned in 1832. It was rebuilt in 1841 and then acquired two buildings to settle there. The current building, built during the 2nd quarter of the 19th century, is distinguished by a three-frame facade and a two-winged organization around a narrow courtyard. Its architecture reflects the specific needs of the Freemasons of the time, with spaces dedicated to rites and reflection.

Inside, a long side corridor serves a vast library with approximately 4000 volumes, as well as two temples and a blind meditation room. The interior decorations, made under the direction of the painter Moreau, evoke the Masonic symbols and beliefs, illustrating the practices of the nineteenth century. These ornamental elements, still visible today, offer a rare testimony of the organization and rituals of the provincial Freemasonry under the July monarchy.

Filed as a Historical Monument in full by order of 14 April 2014, the building (Box AB 10) is now owned by an association. Its official address, 63 avenue La Fayette in Rochefort (Charente-Maritime), makes it a historic place anchored in the urban landscape of this former port city. However, the accuracy of its location remains poor (level 5/10), according to available data.

The lodge of the Perfect Agreement is part of a historical context marked by tensions between secret societies and public authorities in the 19th century. Its reopening in 1841, after almost a decade of ban, coincided with a period of relative liberalization under Louis-Philippe, where Masonic lodges regained some freedom of action, while remaining discreet.

The building, by its design and interior design, reveals the importance attached to discretion and symbolism in Masonic architecture. The presence of two temples and a blind meditation room highlights the diversity of ritual practices, while the library attests to a strong intellectual and spiritual dimension within the lodge.

External links