Construction of prison XVIe siècle (≈ 1650)
Period of construction of the monument.
16 mai 1927
Front protection
Front protection 16 mai 1927 (≈ 1927)
Registration by ministerial decree.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The façade on street: inscription by decree of 16 May 1927
Origin and history
Poitiers Prison, located at 9 rue René-Descartes (formerly Rue de la Prévoté), is a 16th-century building. This monument, classified among the Historical Monuments, is distinguished by its facade on street, protected by a decree of inscription in 1927. Its location in downtown Poitiers, New Aquitaine, reflects its role in local judicial history, although the available archives do not specify its exact use over the centuries.
The location of this building, now noted as "passable" (level 5/10) in heritage databases, suggests an approximate knowledge of its historical location. Rue René-Descartes, formerly known as Rue de la Prévoté, evokes a link with prevotal institutions, typical of medieval and renaissant cities where justice and urban administration were centralized. No additional information is available on events or characters associated with this place.
In the 16th century, Poitiers was a dynamic city in western France, marked by architectural and social transformations. Prisons of that time served not only for incarceration, but also to assert the authority of local institutions, such as the provost. These buildings were often integrated into the urban fabric, close to power centres, reflecting a spatial organization where justice and daily life were closely associated.