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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The house at 2 rue Grenier in Moulins (Allier) is an exceptional testimony of 15th century civil architecture in the former capital of Bourbonnais. Its wooden facade, decorated with carved crows and a corbellation on the second floor, illustrates the know-how of the artisans of the period. Pendant supports connected by arches, as well as the door to the stair turret, reflect the influence of late Gothic styles in the region.

Inside, the courtyard houses a walled staircase turret, characteristic of bourgeois or aristocratic dwellings of the period. The door of this staircase, flanked by pinnacles, highlights the care given to decorative elements, even for semi-private spaces. These architectural details suggest that the house belonged to an easy owner, probably related to the ducal administration or the flourishing mill trade in the Middle Ages.

The partial protection of the house, which took place by order of 28 December 1926, specifically concerns the facade on street and the door of the staircase on courtyard. This inscription in the title of historical monuments underlines its heritage value, both for its state of conservation and for its role in the urban history of Moulins. The wooden panels, a constructive technique used at the time, are particularly well preserved here, offering a rare overview of medieval construction methods in Auvergne.

The monument is part of the historical landscape of Moulins, a city marked by its past as capital of the Dukes of Bourbon. Its civil architecture contrasts with religious or military buildings more often preserved, recalling the importance of private dwellings in the structuring of medieval city centres. Grenier Street, where it is located, could be named after former salt or grain attics, key elements of the local economy.

Today, the house is a visual landmark in the historic centre of Moulins, drawing attention to the vernacular heritage often overshadowed by large monuments. Its current state, while partially protected, questions the challenges of preserving wooden panels of facades, vulnerable to weather and urban transformation. The available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) highlight its architectural interest without providing details about its historical occupants or its successive uses.

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