Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The merchant house at Richelieu was built around 1635 according to the plans of architect Jacques Lemercier, as part of the ambitious urban project of Cardinal Richelieu. He wanted to transform his native village into an ideal city with a rigorous geometrical plan, with ditches, ramparts, monumental gates and symmetrical streets. The houses, aligned and uniform, had to reflect the order and greatness desired by the cardinal.

The house, initially covered with flat tiles, has undergone major changes over the centuries. It has been enhanced, losing its original architectural aspect. Despite these transformations, its facade and roof were protected by a registration order under the Historic Monuments on 9 June 1932. This ranking demonstrates its heritage interest in the exceptional urban complex of Richelieu.

The town of Richelieu, conceived as a classic urban model, illustrates the influence of political and religious power on the planning of the territory in the 17th century. The houses, like this one, were intended to house craftsmen and traders, thus participating in the economic life of a city designed to radiate. Today, this house remains a vestige of this urban vision, although its current appearance differs from the original project.

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