The canons, religious men attached to the service of the bishop and sons of the great bourgeoisie of Laon for the most part, abandoned communal life in the 12th century and acquired the area around the cathedral, a vast enclosed space in the heart of the city
Dating from the 12th century and modified at different times, this two-story canonical house, the oldest in Laon, is remarkable for its two enormous round stone chimneys, visible from the street. It is typical of the houses of this period which were very narrow, due to the surface of the numerous religious and military buildings which left little room for housing
Note that this house is private, and that you can only appreciate it from the outside…