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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The house of the twelve apostles is an iconic building located in Montluçon, in the department of l'Allier, in the region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, it embodies late medieval civil architecture, with a corbelled wooden facade decorated with statuettes representing the twelve apostles, partially destroyed during the Revolution. This building, joined to the Saint Peter's Church, reflects the know-how of local artisans and the commercial dynamism of the city at that time.

Originally, this house belonged to artisans and merchants, including the Menot family, pine trees (manufacturers of tin containers). In 1719 and 1725 it was divided between Nicolas Menot, a royal notary, and his brother Gilbert, a merchant and then a legal practitioner. The stone ground floor contrasts with the upper wooden floor, richly decorated with mouldings, rubble and religious sculptures. The windows, surmounted by accolades and statuettes d'angels, as well as the structure supported by a broken arch, show remarkable technical and artistic mastery.

Partially classified as historical monuments since 14 April 1930 (facades and roofs), the house also illustrates the political upheavals of its time. The statuettes of the apostles, religious symbols, were vandalized during the French Revolution, marking a break in the history of this heritage. Today, it remains a valuable testimony of Montluçon's urban and artisanal history, between medieval heritage and modern transformations.

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