Maison d'Abraham, 16th-century timber house in Sens, France
Maison d'Abraham is a timber-framed house located at the corner of Rue de la République and Rue Jean-Cousin in Sens. The structure features detailed wooden carvings throughout its facade and displays the characteristic architecture of Renaissance-era residential buildings.
The house was built in the 16th century for Nicolas Mégissier, a tanner, whose trade is recalled by a carved cartouche showing double-handled knives. It was listed as a monument historique in 1923. In the 1970s a truck struck the building and it nearly disappeared; interior renovation was proposed in 2012.
The building takes its name from a carved pillar showing the biblical genealogy, with eight kings of Israel depicted in the woodwork. This religious imagery was meaningful to the community of Sens during the Renaissance.
The house stands at the corner of Rue de la République and Rue Jean-Cousin, so it is reached on foot through the streets of central Sens. The carved corner post and the leaded windows are on the exterior and can be seen from the public street; the interior is not open as a regular visit.
The house once went by multiple names including House of Four Winds, referencing its prominent corner location where two main streets meet. It also appeared as a source of inspiration for a celebrated 19th-century French novel.
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