Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house at 3 rue du Mûrier-d'Espagne in Nîmes is a 18th-century civil building. Its history dates back to at least 1671, when its owner was mentioned for the first time. At that time, the building already included a house and a porch, but the inner courtyard belonged to the nearby hotel located at 15 rue des Lombards. The current house was built before 1774, when a neighbouring house was aligned with its façade.

The interior staircase, a major architectural element, was dated between 1740 and 1754 thanks to the style of its silts and its ironwork. The entrance gate, adorned with crossovers and side volutes, opens under a arc in a circle segment. It is framed by two angle-folded pilasters, while the entanglement is finely molded. A biased passage leads to the vestibule, where the flight of stairs begins, characterized by silts supported by arches with hanging keys decorated with foliage.

The wrought iron ramp, classified as a Historic Monument since 1964, is distinguished by its large panels separated by reinforcing bars. The central motifs of the panels, such as lobed three petal florets or oval medallions containing intersect anchors or monograms, are repeated on the first two floors. On the third floor, the staircase continues with a simpler ramp, with right bars. These architectural details illustrate the expertise of 18th-century artisans in the region.

The house is now owned by a private company. Its exact address, 3 rue du Mûrier-d'Espagne, is listed in the Mérimée database under the code Insee 30189, corresponding to the commune of Nîmes in the department of Gard. Although the location is approximate, this house remains a significant example of the civil architectural heritage of Occitanie.

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