Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The half-timbered house of Braine, known as "Spanish" or "home with the flower of lilies", is located at the end of Rue du Martroy, at the corner of Place Charles-de-Gaulle. Its oldest part, dating from the 15th century, includes a stone turret with propeller staircase, typical of medieval architecture. The adjacent wings, added at the beginning of the sixteenth century, partially envelop this turret, only the top of which today emerges from the roof. The ground floor, entirely made of stone, once housed a charcuterie shop, while the floor features corbellations and wooden panels filled with bricks.

The house was initially owned by the priory of Saint-Rémi in Braine, as evidenced by a marteled coat of arms above the cochère door, where a shield of France once appeared. In the 16th century, it was known as the "house of the flower of Lis", probably with reference to this coat of arms. After the Fronde and the Spanish occupation of the region by the Archduke Léopold-Guillaume of Habsburg, she took the nickname "Spanish house". Acts of the 18th century, such as that of 1718, suggest that it served as a post office and inn, with remains of stable and forge still visible a few decades ago.

Partially classified in 1927 and then in 1931 as historical monuments, the house was restored after its acquisition by the Mayor of Braine in 1994, then sold to an individual. The works revealed ancient objects (pot, dagger, tiles of earthenware) today exhibited in the window of the old shop. These elements, as well as its hybrid architecture (stone, half-timbers, bricks), make it a rare testimony of the urban and artisanal evolution of Braine from the Middle Ages to the modern era.

Its history reflects the political and social upheavals of the region, from its link with the Benedictine priory to its role in pre-industrial communication networks. The proximity of the Benedictine convent (now a retirement home), whose cloister wall still delimits the backyard, underscores its anchoring in the religious and economic fabric of the city. The traces of the charcuterie storefront, visible until 2014, also recall its recent artisanal use, before its heritage preservation.

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