Maison des Musiciens, Classified historical house in Reims, France
The Maison des Musiciens is a 13th-century stone house on Rue du Tambour in Reims, listed as a classified historical monument. Its facade is decorated with five carved stone figures depicting musicians playing instruments such as a flute, a drum, a small harp, and a viola.
The house was built in the 13th century, when Reims was prospering through the textile trade and wealthy merchants competed to build prominent stone facades. It was badly damaged during World War I, after which the original statues were moved to Paris for safekeeping and the facade was later rebuilt using copies based on old drawings and photographs.
The facade shows four figures playing instruments alongside a fifth holding a falcon, a detail that signals the owner's taste for both music and hunting. Such imagery was a deliberate choice to display social standing through the decoration of a private home.
The house sits on Rue du Tambour in the old town, within walking distance of the cathedral and other historic buildings in the area. The facade is visible from the street, making it easy to stop and look on a walk through the neighborhood.
The statues on the facade today are not the originals but replicas made from old photographs and drawings. The medieval originals are kept at the Musée Saint-Remi in Reims, where they can still be seen up close.
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