Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The house at 13 rue de la Rodade in Clermont-Ferrand dates from the 15th century. It illustrates medieval civil architecture with its stone ground floor and its wooden panels floors in corbellation. The bays on the ground floor, with arches in basket coves, and the mouldings in cellars testify to a craftsmanship typical of the period. Despite a local tradition wrongly associating with Montferrand's aldermen – an institution that never existed in this city – his historical interest lies in his preserved structure and architectural details.

The construction rests on a wooden frame composed of soles, vertical posts and cross of Saint-André, assembled by mortises and tenons. Hourdis, made up of small volcanic stones, is characteristic of local resources. The first and second floors, in corbellation, emphasize the mastery of medieval construction techniques. The façade, classified as Historic Monument by decree of 12 November 1926, is the only protected element, reflecting its heritage importance despite an approximate GPS location (noted 5/10).

The building embodies the urban daily life of the medieval Clermont-Ferrand, where half-timbered houses served as both a dwelling, a place of commerce (as evidenced by the bays on the ground floor) and a symbol of social status. Its present state makes it possible to study the volcanic materials used in Auvergne, as well as the evolution of construction techniques between the Middle Ages and the modern era. No information confirms its precise use or historical owners, but its architecture remains a tangible testimony of this period.

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