A hospital was built on this location in the 12th century. In the second half of the 19th century, the complex was given a new purpose when the Ladies of the Assumption bought the estate to establish a monastery. This monastery would serve as a school for young girls.
The current buildings date from 1863, with the chapel completed in 1866. At the request of the mayor of the city, an educational institution moved into the monastery that same year. The Bishop of Langres, Mother Marie-Eugénie (the founder of the institution), Father Didelot and a large crowd attended the solemn ceremony of the foundation stone. Mother Marie-Caroline became the first superior and the school year started with eight students.
During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the monastery functioned as a military hospital, but unfortunately it was plundered by Prussian troops. On the night of May 20, 1901, the monastery was set on fire and the nuns were forced to leave due to the anticlerical laws of the Third Republic.
The city bought the monastery in 1907 and after a renovation in 1911 it reopened as a hospital. The nuns returned in 1954, but settled in a different location. In the 1990s the chapel’s furnishings, including the goldwork and candlesticks were sold. Since 2004, the monastery has functioned as an archive space, filled with meters of racks. However, the marble main altar and frescoes in the chapel can still be admired, as can the original paving. The old church, which is listed as a monument, underwent renovation of the stained glass windows and roof in 2001-2002.
Since March 2, 1981, the chapel has been officially registered as a historic monument.
In recent years, the 7-hectare site has been reorganized and new buildings have been added. The monastery and the church have been repurposed. A large part of the space will be used as living space, but there is also room for small businesses.
Eglise d’Hopital
Home » Eglise d’Hopital