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Origin and history

The house in Richelieu is part of the ambitious urban project launched by Cardinal Richelieu in the 17th century. Born in this village, he decided to transform it into a planned city, entrusting the plans to architect Jacques Lemercier, known for his work on the castle. The geometric line, with ditches, ramparts, monumental gates and symmetrical streets, reflected the classical ideals of the era, while the houses, aligned and uniform, embodied a rigorous and orderly aesthetic.

The façade and roof of this house were protected by a decree of inscription under the Historical Monuments on 9 June 1932. This ranking underlines its role in the coherent architectural ensemble of Richelieu, a new city conceived as a symbol of power and modernity under the Old Regime. The precise address, 16 place of the Religious, confirms its integration into the historical heart of the city, marked by a location considered "passable" in terms of cartographic accuracy.

Richelieu's creation context is part of a period when the great lords, like the cardinal, shaped the territory to assert their influence. The city, with its defensive elements (grounded, walled) and its structured public spaces, was to embody both the grandeur of its founder and a hierarchical social organization. Houses, like this one, served as a living environment for a population linked to administrative, religious or artisanal activities around the centralized power.

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