Hôtel de Bénézet

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Ministère de la Culture, in French. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Ministère de la Culture; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

History

The buildings surround a rectangular interior courtyard, framed by the grand staircase and by a wing served by a spiral staircase. A balcony or gallery, overlooking the courtyard, ensures communication between the two wings, above the entrance passage. Access to the courtyard is by a corridor. Facing the entrance, to the north-east of the courtyard, opens a large basket-handle arch portal. Two plain pilasters leave a passage covered by a basket-handle arch with an inner moulded frame. The key stone with console is ornamented with a woman's head. On each side, at the height of the pilasters, are placed two paired consoles, ornamented with pearls, carved with rosettes and extended downward by small floral drops. These consoles are connected to the key by floral garlands. All is sheltered under a segmental arch pediment. The façade corresponding to the grand staircase is the most carefully finished. The ground-floor openings present an inner moulded frame and a projecting key with flat relief. The two central piers are ornamented with mascarons. The staircase strings are carried by round arches and pillars. These arches present a moulded frame and a projecting key, with bossage in hopper form toward the head and the intrados. The upper ceiling, arched, presents in its centre a large square coffer, framed in a rectangle with chamfered angles. Around this rectangle are placed four arched panels creating, in the angles, four rosettes ornamented with monograms. In the central panel has been painted an Assumption of the Virgin.