Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Logis Barrault, built between 1486 and 1493 by Olivier Barrault, treasurer of Brittany and mayor of Angers, is the oldest mansion in the city. Located in Saint-Eloi Square, it illustrates the prestigious civil architecture of the late Middle Ages, with its tuffle facades, ogival vaults and Renaissance staircase. This urban palace, designed to accommodate illustrious guests such as Louis XII or Marie de Medici, also bears witness to the political influence of its sponsor, close to the royal power.

In the 17th century, the house became the property of the clergy and was transformed into a major seminary, undergoing major changes: the elevation of two floors, the construction of a refectory, a chapel and wooden passageways. This work, led by architect Jean Lecomte, partially altered the original structure, notably by removing a symmetrical staircase tower and a loggia on the garden. The site nevertheless retains medieval elements, such as vaulted basements and uses of ancient masonry.

The French Revolution marked a new turning point: the seminary was converted into a central school and then a museum in 1801, becoming one of the first provincial museums. In the 19th century, architects such as Ernest Dainville reorganized the spaces to adapt them to their museum vocation, adding a wing for the curator and a gallery at the back of the garden. Ranked a historic monument in 1902, the house underwent a major restoration between 1999 and 2004, revealing its stratified history, from medieval foundations to contemporary extensions.

Among the notable events, the edict of Nantes (then called "edict of pacification") was prepared in 1598 by Henry IV, stressing the political role of the place. The building also houses architectural treasures, such as a vaulted loggia and a spiral staircase with palm arches, comparable to those of Baugé or Montsoreau castles. Today, it combines historical heritage and museum function, offering a journey through art and the history of Angelvin.

The successive protections (classification in 1902, partial inscription in 1951) preserve its most remarkable elements: facades on the street of the Museum, construction with wooden panels in a door-to-door, and arcade linking the house to the old chapel. These measures reflect the exceptional value of a building that spanned more than five centuries of history, from Renaissance fascists to 1944 bombings, which destroyed part of its commons.

Future

It houses the Angers Museum of Fine Arts.

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