Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Maison de la Tournelle, located in Bourges, is a typical example of medieval civil architecture of the second half of the 15th century. This building is distinguished by its hybrid structure: a ground floor made of cut stone, covered with a false plaster wood panel, and a floor entirely made of wood. The turret, an emblematic element, is based on a corbelled stone, whose upper seat has been modified over time. Inside, the large room on the first floor preserves a particularly well-preserved floor decor, reflecting the know-how of the artisans of the time.

Acquired in 1607 by painter Jean Boucher, this house becomes a place of life and potentially inspiration for this local artist. Its architecture, mixing stone and wood, reflects constructive techniques in vogue in the Berry at the end of the Middle Ages. The high gabled low house, characteristic of the bourgeois mansions of the period, also illustrates the evolution of the needs for space and comfort for the affluent inhabitants of Bourges, then prosperous city thanks to its commercial and political role in the kingdom of France.

Classified as a Historic Monument since 1963, the Maison de la Tournelle sees its facades and roofs protected by ministerial decree. This status underlines its heritage importance, both for its architecture and for its connection to Jean Boucher, a local artistic figure. Today, its precise location at 50 rue Moyenne, in the historic centre of Bourges, makes it a tangible witness to medieval urban planning and the daily life of the urban elites of the time.

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