Renaissance house

In the heart of the old quarter, discover the Renaissance House, one of the oldest buildings in the city.

Recognized as the oldest building in the city, the Renaissance House bears its date of construction at the top of the main facade: 1566. Located in the heart of the old town, Place de la Vieille Horloge, the building is a unique example. XNUMXth century architecture^e century, in La Roche-sur-Yon, which became a principality and came under the Royal House of the Bourbons.

According to literary sources, this house would have been a mansion, the former residence of the governor of the city, built on the order of Charles de Montpensier, 3^rd prince of La Roche-sur-Yon. In 1808, the Renaissance House housed an inn.

The architecture of the Renaissance House

As its name suggests, the Renaissance House is marked by the Italian Renaissance style. The main facade, facing east, has a single bay; a triangular pediment (with the date of construction) surmounts the window of the third level itself underlined by a decorated cornice.

However, elements of medieval architecture are present. They are found in particular in mullioned and cross windows. The interior plan, meanwhile, consists of two rooms, the main one facing the square. This arrangement is found on the three levels, distributed by a medieval granite spiral staircase.

In every room of the house, there are imposing freestone and granite fireplaces. However, only the fireplace in the main room on the ground floor has a granite mantel decorated with a carved cartouche.

In 1982, the municipality bought the house, in a state of neglect. Major renovations are thus carried out. The facade, then covered with ivy, is cleaned and restored. The tiled roof is replaced by a slate roof. The top floor - called attic - loses its stone facade. The interiors are also completely renovated.

The Renaissance House is located on Place de la Vieillie Horloge, in the old quarter of La Roche-sur-Yon. This square takes its name from a tower located at the top of the square, facing the Renaissance House. Before its demolition, which dates back to 1842, the tower was 9m high and was lined with stalls rented by the city to traders and craftsmen. It was destroyed because its maintenance was too expensive for the city and its location prevented good traffic.

The Renaissance House is thus a vestige of this place which, at the time, was very lively. Now owned by the City, it has been listed in the Supplementary Inventory of Historical Monuments since 1931.

The architecture of the Old Clock Square is a good witness to the changes taking place in the city. Buildings dating from before 1789 thus stand alongside a bourgeois house from the end of the XNUMXth century.^e and a building from the years 1960-1670!