Construction of house 1632 (≈ 1632)
House and staircase built by Thiriot/Lamoureux.
XVIIe siècle
Urban development of Richelieu
Urban development of Richelieu XVIIe siècle (≈ 1750)
City planned by Cardinal de Richelieu.
1932
Registration façade and roof
Registration façade and roof 1932 (≈ 1932)
Protection under Historic Monuments.
1992
Inscription of stairs
Inscription of stairs 1992 (≈ 1992)
Protection of the wooden staircase and its cage.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Facade and roof (on street): inscription by order of 9 June 1932; Wooden staircase, with its cage and roof, located in the northwest corner of the courtyard (Box C 219): inscription by order of 29 January 1992
Key figures
Cardinal de Richelieu - Urban project sponsor
Turned its native village into a city.
Jacques Lemercier - Architect
Designs the city plans.
Jean Thiriot ou Jean Lamoureux - Entrepreneurs
Builders of the house in 1632.
Origin and history
The house of Richelieu, built in 1632, is part of the ambitious urban project of Cardinal Richelieu, which transformed his native village into a planned city. The plans were drawn up by architect Jacques Lemercier, known for his work on the Château de Richelieu. The city adopted a regular course, with symmetrical streets, ditches, and aligned houses, reflecting the classical ideal of the time. This house, typical of the style imposed, is distinguished by its lateral corridor and its interior organization.
The most remarkable element of this house is its wooden staircase, located in the northwest corner of the courtyard. This screw staircase, contained in a semi-octogonal half-tower, serves both floors. The corner poles support oblique sandstones and a turned baluster ramp, all topped by a flag attic. The staircase, built in 1632 by entrepreneurs Jean Thiriot or Jean Lamoureux, is a rare testimony of 17th century craftsmanship. The commons, added in the eighteenth century, complete the whole.
The house was protected under the Historic Monuments: the facade and roof were inscribed in 1932, while the wooden staircase, with its cage and roof, was protected in 1992. These measures highlight the heritage value of this building, both for its architecture and its connection to the urban history of Richelieu. The exact location, 3 Place du Marché, confirms its integration into the historical fabric of the city, classified in the department of Indre-et-Loire.
