Foundation of the city 1631 (environ) (≈ 1631)
Urban project launched by Richelieu and Lemercier.
9 juin 1932
Front protection
Front protection 9 juin 1932 (≈ 1932)
Registration for Historic Monuments.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Facade and roof: inscription by decree of 9 June 1932
Key figures
Cardinal de Richelieu - Sponsor
Initiator of the city and project.
Jacques Lemercier - Architect
Designer of urban plans and buildings.
Origin and history
The house of Richelieu is part of an ambitious urban project initiated by Cardinal Richelieu, who wanted to transform his native village into a model city. The plans were designed by architect Jacques Lemercier, known for his work at the Château de Richelieu, and combined symmetry, ditches, walls and monumental gates. This rigorous framework reflected the classical ideals of the time, with aligned streets and uniform houses.
The façade and roof of this house were protected by a decree of inscription under the title of Historical Monuments on 9 June 1932. This classification demonstrates its importance in the architectural heritage of the city, conceived as a coherent whole under the impulse of the cardinal. The precise address, 15 place of the Religious, confirms its integration into the planned urban fabric, today located in the department of Indre-et-Loire.
Richelieu, classified as Centre-Val de Loire, illustrates the 17th century urban heritage, where political power and classical aesthetics combined. The location, although noted as "passable" (level 5/10) in the databases, remains a marker of the cardinal's ambition to create an ideal city, combining functionality and prestige. The protected elements underline the heritage value of these buildings, now open to various uses (visits, rentals).
