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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The house of Richelieu is part of the ambitious urban project launched by Cardinal Richelieu, which transformed his native village into an ideal city. The plans, designed by architect Jacques Lemercier, provided for a strict geometrical layout: ditches, ramparts, monumental gates, and symmetrical streets lined with aligned houses. This project reflected the cardinal's political and aesthetic ambitions, combining military rigor and classical elegance.

The land of this house was given twice: first to Nicolas de Rambouillet and Marc Antoine Acéré on 14 March 1633, then to Charles de Brussel, Sieur de Vailleconte, on 23 July 1634. Its construction began according to the plans of Jean Barbet in August 1633, but inconsistencies between dates and drawings raise questions about their validity or an anticipation of the work. The building, profoundly redesigned to accommodate a medico-pedagogical institute, lost its original stairs, retaining only an 18th century stone fireplace on the first floor.

Classified as a Historic Monument since 1932 for its facades and roofs, this house illustrates the architectural heritage of Richelieu. Its history reflects urban and functional change from an aristocratic residence to a building dedicated to special education. The successive transformations altered its initial aspect, but its integration into the Lemercier plan made it a valuable witness to 17th century urban planning.

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