Place du Pilori

Place du Pilori

A stop on the Vienne audio-guided tour, place du Pilori is aptly named: it was long the place where the condemned were tied to the pillory, the post used to expose them to all before they were hanged on this same square.

A medieval timber-framed house

The pillory has of course disappeared, but on the right one can still see a remarkable fifteenth-century timber-framed house, probably a merchant's house. These half-timbered houses were common in the Middle Ages. This one is said to be corbelled: its upper floor juts out over the street, a way to enlarge the home without paying more tax, then calculated according to the ground area.

What to see

Timber-framed houses were banned from the sixteenth century onwards, as they heightened the risk of fire, then very frequent and prone to rapid spread. This fine building, one of the last of its kind in Vienne, bears witness to the city's medieval housing. Observe its corbelled upper floor and its timber framing.

Practical information

Place du Pilori is in the historic centre of Vienne. Freely accessible, it can be discovered at any time along the walk; the Pilori house can be seen from the square.

Why is the square called du Pilori ?

Because the condemned were once tied to the pillory there before their execution.

What is a corbelled house ?

A house whose upper floor juts out over the street, allowing the home to be enlarged without paying more tax.