Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The medieval house of Cahors, classified as a Historic Monument, features 12th century stone remains, including a boutique arcade built into the 15th century façade. The back building, built in brick, probably dates from the 13th or 14th centuries, while the street façade, rebuilt in the 15th century, uses a mixture of rubble, stones and bricks. These elements illustrate the successive architectural transformations of the site, marked by the reuse of ancient materials.

Originally, the house was divided into two separate housing units in the 13th and 14th centuries, sharing a common courtyard and a central passageway. These spaces reflect a typical medieval domestic organization, where privacy and collective activities coexisted. In the 15th century, a floor was added to the body on street, and the facade was completely redesigned, while a screw staircase was added to a pre-existing square staircase in the courtyard. These developments reflect a desire to adapt to the residential and commercial needs of the time.

Traces of subsequent developments remain, such as a 1669 door (2nd quarter of the 17th century), highlighting the durability of the use of the building throughout the centuries. The 15th century chimneys, still visible inside, as well as the remains of a building on one floor of the 12th century in the street body, confirm the historic stratification of the site. The partial inclusion of the residence in the Historic Monuments (falling in 1925, together in 1997) attests to its exceptional heritage value.

The location of the residence, at 88 rue des Soubirous (formerly Fouillac impasse), in the centre of Cahors, reinforces its anchor in the medieval urban fabric. The map accuracy, considered "passible" (note 5/10), suggests, however, uncertainties about the accuracy of its current geographical representation. The materials used, such as cutting stone, brick and bellows, reveal a variety of construction techniques adapted to local resources and successive periods.

The building thus illustrates the evolution of lifestyles in Cahors, from a shared medieval domestic organization to more private uses in modern times. The protected elements, such as the street façade and the entire house, underline the importance of preserving this architectural testimony, both residential, commercial and historical. The Creative Commons license for associated photos also facilitates the dissemination of this heritage to the public.

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