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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The house of Ronsard, located at the 1st Jacobin Pass in Tours, is a mansion built in the 1st quarter of the 16th century. This rectangular building, typical of Renaissance architecture, is distinguished by a square staircase turret with a pyramidal arrow. The partially destroyed stairway screw remains only in its underground part. The south facade preserves carved coats of arms (three fishes and a hake), evoking a controversial link with the family of poet Pierre de Ronsard, although this hake differs from the famous coat of arms of the poet. The building, which was thoroughly rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries, was bombed in 1944 and then restored.

The hypothesis of belonging to the Ronsard family is based solely on these coats of arms, whose authenticity is highly discussed. At the beginning of the 20th century, the house was thickened east by a body of houses, and a brick pavilion, decorated with stuccos, was added to the garden. Ranked a historic monument in 1942 for its facades and roofs, it illustrates the architectural transformations suffered by the touristic mansions, between Renaissance, classical modifications and modern restorations. The damage of the Second World War required extensive work, partially altering its authenticity.

The exact location (1 Jacobin passage) places this monument in the Old Towers, a historical district where the aristocratic and bourgeois residences of the Renaissance were concentrated. The coat of arms, although similar to that of the Ronsards (three fish), includes a hake absent from the poet's official weapons, which casts doubt on his attribution. The 20th century sources, such as the Merimée base, highlight these uncertainties, while confirming the building's heritage interest in its architecture and turbulent history.

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