House à La Rochelle en Charente-Maritime

Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house located at 59 rue du Mining in La Rochelle is a 17th and 18th century building, representative of the civil architecture of this period. It consists of a unique building body with a small backyard, and its coated bellow facade is rhythmic by four spans. Access to the floor is via a wooden rotating staircase located at the bottom of a side corridor. This type of construction reflects the urban habits of the time, where commercial or residential houses were aligned along the narrow streets of the city centre.

In the 18th century, this house formed a continuous ensemble with the neighbouring building (n°63), illustrating the dense urbanization of La Rochelle. The arches overlooking the street were raised in the 19th century, while the commercial front and the current staircase date from the end of the same period. These changes reflect the adaptation of buildings to changing needs, including the emergence of commercial activities on the ground floor. The arcade of the façade, a remarkable element, was inscribed in the Historical Monuments by order of 27 June 1928, highlighting its heritage value.

The location of this house, in the historic mining district, is characteristic of the urban extension of La Rochelle between the 17th and 18th centuries. At that time, the city was a major port on the Atlantic, dynamic through maritime trade, especially with colonies. Houses like this often served as both a dwelling for merchants or artisans and a work or storage space. Their preservation today offers a tangible testimony of this lavish period, although available sources do not specify the identity of historic owners or occupants.

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