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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The house of the Pelican is a medieval building located in the heart of Malestroit, in Morbihan. Dating from the 15th century, it illustrates Gothic civil architecture in wooden strips, with corbellations and narrow windows framed by potlets. Its name comes from a pelican sculpture, symbol of redemption, adorning the horn post on the first floor. This architectural detail, combined with its preserved structure, makes it a rare testimony of the Breton urban habitat of that time.

The house is part of the historic core of Malestroit, once girded with ramparts. Its location at the corner of Place du Bouffay and Rue Sainte-Anne underscores its importance in the medieval urban fabric. The facades and roofs, protected since 1931, reveal typical construction techniques: landfills, gaiters, and a coating partially concealing wooden frame. The house thus embodies Breton vernacular heritage, mixing residential function and religious symbolism.

The building, whose heritage value lies as much in its architecture as in its iconography, was preserved by its inscription in 1931. Pelican, often associated with sacrifice in Christian tradition, reinforces the unique character of the house. Today, it remains a visual and historical landmark in the city centre, although its current use (visit, rental) is not specified in the available sources.

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