Historical Monument 6 décembre 1988 (≈ 1988)
Protection of facades, roofs and entrance gate.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Facades and roofs; input grid (box A 3248): entry by order of 6 December 1988
Key figures
Le Prince - Circus balancer
House commander in 1913.
Tsar Alexandre III - Inspiration of the name (oral tradition)
Visit mentioned to explain the name.
Origin and history
Villa Moscovite, or Castel Joly, is a house built in 1913 in Dunkirk for Le Prince, a circus balancer. His name, displayed in a cartridge above the entrance, would be inspired, according to oral tradition, by a visit of the Tsar Alexander III to the city. The original wooden structure reflects the permitted precarious constructions in the non-aedificandi areas around the military objectives of the time.
In 1925, the house was enlarged with a reinforced concrete extension, designed to imitate wood. This new section served as a gym, highlighting the building's link to circus arts. The oral tradition also suggests that the construction would have been motivated by the visit of Tsar Alexander III, although this statement is not historically verified.
Classified as a Historical Monument, Villa Moscovite is protected for its facades, roofs and entrance gate since a decree of 6 December 1988. Its hybrid architecture, blending wood and concrete, as well as its history linked to the world of entertainment, make it a unique testimony of the first half of the 20th century in Dunkirk.
