Narrow street in old Rouen, France, circa 1900,

Rouen is one of the top six cities in France for its rich heritage, despite the disappearance of entire districts and the total destruction of many listed monuments during the Second World War. The city boasts houses from a wide range of periods, from the 13th century to the present day, thanks in part to the reconstruction that has respected the distinctive features of the old town. The city has often embodied the model of the romantic city, celebrated by Victor Hugo among others. Rouen’s old town remains the richest example of timber-framed architecture in Normandy.