Moorish house

The Moorish House, an Oriental fantasy in the heart of Valence

Around a street in Valence, a house surprises by its architecture resolutely different from the neighbouring buildings. It is the Moorish House, whose façade is inspired by the Oriental style. The Valence audio-guided tour stops here to tell of this nineteenth-century fascination with exoticism and Orientalism.

A taste for Orientalism in 1860

Built in 1860 at the request of Mr Ferlin, this private house displays a marked taste for Orientalism, a current very much in vogue in the mid-nineteenth century. Its façade with Oriental motifs contrasts with the classical architecture of Valence. It testifies to the era's curiosity for distant cultures, then fashionable across Europe.

What to see

The interest of the Moorish House lies in its façade, adorned with Oriental motifs that make it a curiosity in the Valence landscape. A private dwelling, it is seen from the street, during a walk. Its unusual outline surprises and amuses attentive passers-by, and illustrates the architectural diversity of the centre of Valence.

Practical information

The Moorish House lies in the centre of Valence, reachable on foot. It is a private dwelling: it is admired from the outside, from the street, with no organised visit or ticket office. It is discovered during a walk in the centre, among the city's other architectural curiosities.

When was the Moorish House built?

It was built in 1860 at the request of Mr Ferlin, in the Orientalist taste very much in vogue in the mid-nineteenth century.

Can you visit the Moorish House?

It is a private dwelling: it is admired only from the outside, from the street, during a walk in the centre of Valence.