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Origin and history

The so-called house of Pope Julius II is an emblematic building located in the heart of Verdun, Place de la Libération, in the department of Meuse in the Grand East region. Built in the 2nd quarter of the 16th century, it bears the traces of a rich history, combining Renaissance architecture and religious heritage. Its interior façade, decorated with a tower and loggia, was erected in 1533, as evidenced by the inscriptions "ANNO M-CCCCC-XXXIII" engraved on the tower and a pillar. The entrance gate, marked with the name "IVL II PONT MAX", recalls the link between this place and Pope Julius II, who stayed there long before his pontificate in 1479.

The oldest part of the house, prior to the 16th century, houses medieval elements such as trilobed windows on Rue de la Magdeleine. Originally, this building welcomed Giuliano della Rovere, then archbishop of Avignon and future pope Julius II, during a tense political episode: his uncle, Pope Sixtus IV, opposed the imprisonment of the bishop of Verdun, Guillaume de Haraucourt, detained 16 years at the Bastille on the order of Louis XI. The house, enlarged in 1533 and redesigned in the 18th century, thus embodies both local history and the struggles of influence between royal power and church.

The interior courtyard façade, a unique feature protected by historic monuments since 1926, illustrates the historic importance of this site. Its central location, facing the Victory Monument and near the Princerie Museum, makes it a privileged witness to the urban and architectural evolution of Verdun, between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

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