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Palais Jacques Coeur Bourges

Front entrance of Palais Jacques Coeur

The Palais Jacques-Cœur in Bourges is considered to be one of the most sumptuous civil buildings of the 15th century in France and a masterpiece of flamboyant Gothic civil architecture, due to the elegance of its architecture and the richness and variety of its decoration. This 15th century building prefigures the private mansions that were to flourish during the Renaissance and is one of the very first examples of this type of architecture in France. It was built by Jacques Coeur, a rich merchant and master of the mint under Charles VII, to leave his mark on his native town, but he never lived there. We will go back and visit the interior when it opens again.

Le palais JacquesCœur à Bourges, est considéré de par l’élégance de son architecture, la richesse et la variété de sa décoration, comme un des plus somptueux édifices civils du xve siècle et un chef-d’œuvre de l’architecture civile de style gothique flamboyant. Cette bâtisse du xve siècle préfigure les hôtels particuliers qui fleuriront à la Renaissance et l’un des tout premiers exemples d’architecture de plaisance en France. Il naît de la volonté du riche marchand Jacques Cœur de bâtir une grande maison dans sa ville natale mais l’argentier de Charles VII n’y habita jamais. Nous retournerons visiter l’intérieur à la réouverture.

Statue of Jacques Coeur outside the palace
The back of the palace

6 replies on “Palais Jacques Coeur Bourges”

I’ve never been inside this place and really want to. Maybe we need to make a date for it post pandemic. I have a particular interest in Jacques Coeur because of his association with Agnes Sorel, who I talk about a lot of course when taking people to Loches. I remember we ate at a restaurant on the other side of the square, which was very nice.

Definitely! I think we visited the inside once when we stayed in the area for New Year about 20 years ago but I don’t remember the details, just that it was well worth the visit.

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