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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The hotel of the Treasurers of Saint-Martin, located at 54-56 Place du Grand-Marché in Tours, is a mansion built in the 15th century, adjacent to the enclosure of Châteauneuf. This seigneurial house embodied the temporal authority of the Canons of Saint Martin, the right of high justice being linked to the office of treasurer. Its flamboyant Gothic portal, richly decorated, and its characteristic gable make it a remarkable vestige of this time.

The present building, classified as a historic monument since 19 February 1916, represents only part of a larger and now extinct complex, including a chapel. The cochère door in basket cove, the floor with broken arched bays and the carved dais illustrate the civil architecture of the late Middle Ages. The covered passage leads to an inner courtyard, testifying to the spatial organization of the mansions of the time.

Located in the former village of Châteauneuf, this hotel was a marker of local ecclesiastical power. Treasurers, holders of judicial privileges, exercised their influence. Today, the gate and gable, the only protected elements, are framed by 19th century buildings. The building now belongs to a private company, without regular public access.

Historical sources, such as the bulletins of the Touraine Archaeological Society (1998), highlight its heritage importance. The building is referenced in the Mérimée base under the code INSEE 37261 (Indre-et-Loire), confirming its anchoring in the tourism heritage. Its current state and location make it a discreet but valuable witness to the urban history of Tours.

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