Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house at 5-9 rue de l'Oisellerie in Angers is a typical example of 16th century urban architecture, built on a narrow plot of 4 meters wide. It consists of two bodies of houses in depth, connected by an open-cage exterior staircase with wooden balusters and long bearings forming a gallery. The facades on street and courtyard, made of wood, contrast with the shale walls of the rest of the construction. The front façade, adorned with a rich carved decoration, has a gable and a long-paned cover, while the rear body is covered with an appenti.

The construction of this house dates back to the last quarter of the 16th century, as indicated by a partially legible date (158?) engraved on the cap of the punch of the overflowing farm, discovered during the restoration of the 1960s. This restoration, led by architect Angelvin Henri Enguehard, preserved the original elements, including the staircase-gallery and its balusters, potentially from the time. The facades on street and courtyard, as well as the blankets and stairs, were classified as Historic Monument by order of 14 February 1962.

The basement of the house houses a cradle vault equipped with tuffeau, typical of the region. The house illustrates the adaptation of medieval constructive techniques to the residential needs of the Renaissance, in a dense urban context. Its deep plan and exterior staircase reflect the spatial constraints and domestic uses of the time, while at the same time testifying to the know-how of local carpenters in carpentry and sculpture.

Today owned by a private company, the house retains a major heritage interest, both in its architecture and in the restoration techniques used in the 20th century. Its ranking among Historic Monuments highlights its historical and artistic value, while raising the question of its accessibility to the public, which is currently undocumented.

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