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Origin and history

The Lohobiague Enea House, also known as the Louis XIV House, is an emblematic residence of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, built in the 2nd quarter of the 17th century. It was built in 1643 by Johannis de Lohobiague, mayor of the city and member of an influential family of shipowners, merchants and privateers. Its sumptuous architecture, including turrets and scalables, reflects the prestige of its owners and even aroused the jealousy of the local authorities, pushing a successor of Lohobiague to build the new Town House nearby.

This monument is especially famous for hosting Louis XIV from May 8 to June 16, 1660, during his marriage with the infant Marie-Thérèse of Austria, sealing the Treaty of the Pyrenees. Traditionally, the king, appearing on the balcony in front of the crowd, threw coins with the motto "The King and only the King". In January 1701 the house also welcomed Philippe V of Spain, grandson of Louis XIV, strengthening its historical importance.

The house is distinguished by its concentrated decor on the noble floor, where there are remarkable rooms such as the dining room with painted panellings, the kitchen with its vegetable garden and its old stalls, or the large bedroom housing the bed used by Louis XIV. The large living room, partially restored, reveals a painted ceiling. Classified as a Historic Monument in 2005, this house bears witness to the golden age of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, then flourishing port and private city.

Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a Basque town marked by its maritime history, enjoyed a period of prosperity thanks to the fishing of cod and whale hunting in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Lohobiague Enea House embodies this fascinating time, before the decline caused by international treaties and natural disasters, such as the 1680 tsunami that ravaged the city. Today, this monument remains a symbol of local architectural and historical heritage.

The house, located in Place Louis XIV, is a rare example of Basque civil architecture of this period, preserved despite urban transformations. Its full ranking in 2005 underscores its heritage importance, both for its link with the French monarchy and for its illustration of local constructive traditions. Today, it attracts visitors for its royal history and distinctive architecture.

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