Hôtel de Champagney, Renaissance private mansion in Battant district, Besançon, France.
The Hôtel de Champagney is a Renaissance mansion in Besançon with a main facade displaying mullioned windows and four gargoyles at the top. These carved figures represent a greyhound, a lion, a griffin, and a sheep-dog.
Jacques Bonvalot, Lord of Champagney, commissioned this mansion in 1565 on the site of an earlier medieval house. The construction represented the shift from medieval to Renaissance architecture in the city.
The carved wooden galleries inside and the portico with decorative scrolls show the craft traditions that were important to the Franche-Comté region. These details reflect the skills that local craftspeople brought to their work during this period.
The building is located on Rue Battant and is now managed by the city of Besançon. It is worth checking opening hours in advance if you wish to view the interior or take a guided tour.
A spiral staircase inside bears the inscription 1560 and the seal of the Bonvalot family. These marks preserve an important moment in the building's construction and carry a personal family emblem.
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