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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The house of St.Saturnin, dated the 4th quarter of the 15th century, is a remarkable example of late medieval civil architecture. It is located on Rue des Boucheries, near the location of an old fortified gate of the village. Its façade has a marked landing and an elevated central turret, accessible by a broken arched door adorned with an shield with wooded coats of arms. A carved mask decorates the corner of the building, adding a decorative element typical of the period.

The building was partially protected in 1988, with the inscription of its turret façade in the inventory of Historic Monuments. The murmured door, supported by prismatic bases, and its armored tympanum suggest a noble or bourgeois origin, although the identity of the historical owners remains unknown. The approximate location, noted as "passable" (level 5/10), places the monument near the rue des Goullettes, in the old center of Saint-Saturnin.

The urban context of Saint-Saturnin in the 15th century was marked by a medieval organization, where bourgeois or artisanal houses bordered narrow streets, often protected by ramparts. The rue des Boucheries evokes a commercial activity linked to butchery, essential in fortified villages. The turret, a defensive and aesthetic element, could serve as a watch post or symbol of prestige for its owner. The absence of detailed sources on the occupants limits the knowledge of its precise use, but its architecture reflects the transitions between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in Auvergne.

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