Description of the attraction
This building has several names - the House of the Tree of Life, the house of artisans, the house of Adam and Eve. But most of all it is known as the House of Adam. In 1922, this building was declared a historical monument, today it houses several firms and shops where you can buy handicrafts made by local craftsmen.
Adam's house is located in the central part of Angers, at the intersection of Rue Monod with Place Saint-Croix. The building was built at the very end of the 15th century in a style that cannot be confused with any other. The combination of wooden beams and stucco masonry, together with unique carvings that adorn the walls and windows, make this building a very interesting example of medieval half-timbered architecture. The house got its name due to the sculptural image of the famous biblical story about Adam and Eve, who tasted the apple of knowledge. It can be seen in the corner of the first floor. It is known from historical documents that this building was called the house of Adam in the 17th century.
The location of the house at a crossroads allowed its owners (one of the first owners was a local pharmacist) to decorate both facades of this six-story building with carved figures - two stories higher than the neighboring mansions. The figures, carved with great skill and humor, depict both biblical and secular characters - among them you can see the silhouettes of saints, musicians, lovers, mythical animals - centaurs and chimeras.
The house of Adam is also reflected in literature - in the work of Anatole France "Under the Elms of the City". Interestingly, there is another building in France called the House of Adam and Eve. It is located in Nice, was built in the second half of the 16th century and is decorated with a bas-relief in the grisaille technique with images of a man and a woman, whom the townspeople consider to be Adam and Eve, already expelled from paradise.
