Could there be a better setting for a Centre for the Interpretation of Architecture and Heritage (CIAP) than at the foot of a cathedral? What other building is such a testament to the genius and self-sacrifice of the people of these lands? Between the 13th and 16th centuries, stonemasons, sculptors, glass-makers, cabinet-makers, blacksmiths and other carpenters deployed a wealth of inventiveness and imagination to erect this solid, phantasmagorical colossus that has stood the test of time. This CIAP, which will soon be housed in the Maison du Patrimoine (part of which will be housed in the Maison de l'Archéologie in Thérouanne), will be no more and no less than a showcase for the architectural identity of a region whose cathedral is just a sample of the rich heritage that generations of builders have created over the centuries, all with a fierce desire to push back the technological limits of their time and the boundaries of the imagination. Add to this the many vestiges of what was and remains a vast commercial, military and religious crossroads, all set in a harmonious natural landscape of meadows, hillsides, woods and marshes, and you have every reason to believe in the need to pass on the know-how and interpersonal skills that are the strength of an area that has lost none of its humility. That will be the aim of the centre. To make people proud of a region whose richness they are perhaps not sufficiently aware of, and to give those passing through the keys to a region that deserves to be explored. Without forgetting to win over the hearts of the younger generations, who will be the builders of tomorrow, and to whom we must teach that it is by bearing in mind a prestigious past that we will build a prodigious future. The Audomarois has never ceased to defy history, and it should not stop there... We invite you to take a journey through an immersive, interactive and fun scenography. Follow in the footsteps of the illustrious Alexandre Ribot, who bequeathed this private mansion where he himself followed in the footsteps of the canons who preceded him, and immerse yourself in the career and commitments of this magistrate, academician and President of the Council (today we would say Prime Minister), who had the confidence of Sadi Carnot, Félix Faure and Raymond Poincaré. As you immerse yourself in the meanders of a cabinet of curiosities that is sure to pique your curiosity, you'll discover the political, economic, artistic, intellectual and educational history of an area that is steeped in a European dimension between France, Flanders and England. Immerse yourself in an architect's studio to decipher the development of the Pays de Saint-Omer and its remarkable heritage. Then there's the chance to exchange ideas, experiment and innovate in a vast space dedicated to conferences, screenings and workshops for young audiences.
The future Maison du Patrimoine in a few figures:
- A show model ;
- A cabinet of curiosities;
- An architect's studio;
- Alexandre Ribot's office;
- A room dedicated to screenings, conferences and workshops for young audiences.
Pending the opening of the Maison du Patrimoine, a prefiguration pavilion is open all year round. Come and get a taste of the beginnings of a playful scenography and embark on a 20-minute discovery of the future Maison du Patrimoine; 10 minutes of escapism and poetry through the landscapes and heritage of the Pays d'art et d'histoire.
