Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The house located at 167-169 rue du Gros-Horloge in Rouen is a 15th-century civil building. This monument, whose location is considered "a priori satisfactory", is representative of Norman urban architecture of the late Middle Ages. Its façade and roof were inscribed in the Historic Monuments by order of 12 October 1929, highlighting its heritage interest.

The Gros Horloge Street, where this house is located, is one of the emblematic streets of Rouen, a city marked by a rich medieval past and intense commercial activity. At that time, half-timbered or stone houses, often narrow and high, reflected the urban density and economic growth associated with river trade on the Seine. These houses were used as housing, workshop and sometimes warehouse for local merchants and artisans.

Available data from the Merimée database and Monumentum indicate that the exact address corresponds to the Insee 76540 code in the Seine-Maritime department. No additional information is provided regarding historical owners, specific uses of the house or possible architectural modifications after the 15th century. The 1929 protection concerns only external elements, without mention of a wider classification or an opening to the public.

GPS location and tools such as Street View make it possible to visualize the building in its current context, although the accuracy of the location is estimated at 6/10 depending on the sources. No indication is given of any access to the visit, tourist use or associated services (rent, guest rooms). Sources are limited to administrative and heritage descriptions, without anecdotes or details of daily life in this place.

Rouen, the historic capital of Normandy, was in the 15th century a prosperous city, marked by its political, religious and economic role. Houses like this illustrated the social status of their occupants, often linked to the corporations of merchants or artisans. Their preservation today offers an overview of medieval urban planning, despite the destruction suffered by the city over the centuries, especially during the Second World War.

The archives do not mention sponsors or architects for this house, and its history is limited to its construction in the 15th century and its protection in the 20th century. The lack of details about its past use or its occupants limits the understanding of its precise role in the then-Routenne society, but its inclusion in the title of Historical Monuments makes it a valuable witness to Norman civil heritage.

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