Discover Maison Tavel

An exceptional heritage building, the Maison Tavel is Geneva's oldest private residence. Destroyed by fire in 1334, which left only the cellars intact, the house was rebuilt to its current appearance, with turrets and a facade adorned with sculpted heads. In 1979, excavations unearthed the remains of an 11th-century tower and a huge 17th-century cistern for collecting rainwater. In the Middle Ages, the Tavel family used the house as a residence.

The monumental cellars, which you can see during your visit, are built in Romanesque style and date back to the end of the 12th century. The arches rest on columns surmounted by sculpted capitals in a sober style reminiscent of Cistercian monastic buildings. In the Middle Ages, the cellars were used for trade, opening directly onto the street and isolated from the rest of the house. A vault, built into the walls and originally closed off by a door, ensured the safekeeping of valuables.

The exhibition at the Maison Tavel focuses on the architectural and urban history of Geneva. The permanent exhibition areas feature a variety of documents such as engravings, paintings, maps, models, furniture and various objects that bear witness to the history of Geneva from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.

Some rooms have been reconstructed to resemble 18th and 19th century flats. There is also an animation that summarises the history of Geneva in 12 minutes. In the main room, architectural elements such as doors and inn signs dating from the 15th to 18th centuries are on display.

In the small room, there are 18th-century paintings depicting the town surrounded by Vauban-style fortifications. The carved heads that adorn the Gothic façade of the house are also on display on the street side, but are copies for conservation reasons. The original façade can be seen from the turret windows.

The Relief Magnin is one of the highlights of Maison Tavel. It was created by the architect Auguste Magnin over a period of 18 years, and gives an overview of Geneva through a relief map. It is the largest historical relief map in Switzerland, and is made entirely of metal, with houses and fortifications in zinc and roofs in copper. The relief is made up of 86 juxtaposed elements and covers an area of 32 m². The work was first presented at the 1896 National Exhibition in Geneva. A 20-minute audio presentation in French is available on request from Maison Tavel staff, to tell you more about the relief.