Lieutenant's House

Remains of former fortifications
Rating 7110

16 january 2023Travel time: 20 august 2022
The so-called Lieutenant's House in Honfleur is the only stone house in the city that has survived from the old medieval fortifications and the huge city wall. It is believed that the first fortress walls of Honfleur were erected at the beginning of the 13th century, and around 1350, Charles V built a real fortress here, which had two entrances: the gates of Rouen (la porte de Rouen) to the southeast and the gates of Caen (la porte de Caen). The western facade of the Lieutenant's House is actually a remnant of the fortress wall, in which la porte de Caen were located. The current historic building is already the result of many changes over the centuries. The building has two parts: the stone cellar is what is left of the fortification. Everything that was built above and dates back to the 17-18 centuries is the residence of the lieutenant, the governor of the king (hence the name Lieutenant's House).
Since the 17th century, royal lieutenants have lived in this house, who controlled all the entrances and exits from the port. But at the end of the 18th century, the house was given into the hands of merchants. On the gates of Port de Caen adjoining the building, there is a memorial plaque in memory of the French traveler - the "royal geographer" Samuel de Champlain, who founded Quebec. Once on the roof of the "lieutenant's house" there was a bell tower and a clock. The bell was used to sound an alarm, signal the onset of curfew, and call for public gatherings. Nearby is a massive stone arch topped with a statue of the Holy Virgin Mary. In 1864, the lieutenant's house was painted by the Impressionist Claude Monet. Today this house is very popular among tourists who come to see the sights of the city.
Translated automatically from Russian. View original

Comments (0) leave a comment
PLACES NEARBY
QUESTION-ANSWER
No questions