Foundation of the first hotel-Dieu XVe siècle (≈ 1550)
First fruits of the institution at this location.
vers 1671
Construction of the current building
Construction of the current building vers 1671 (≈ 1671)
Directed by Mansart for Louise de Colbert.
1971
Partial classification at Historic Monuments
Partial classification at Historic Monuments 1971 (≈ 1971)
Protection of facades and interior stairway.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Façades and roofs, including lantern, with the exception of the entrance pavilion; inside staircase (cad. AB 197): inscription by order of 27 October 1971
Key figures
Jules Hardouin-Mansart - Architect
Designed the hospital-hospice around 1671.
Louise de Colbert - Sponsor
Daughter of Colbert, wife of the Duke of Beauvillier.
Origin and history
The hospital-hospice of Saint-Aignan has its origins in the 15th century, with a first hotel-Dieu located on the same site. The present building was erected around 1671, under the direction of architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart, at the request of Louise de Colbert, daughter of the famous minister of Louis XIV and wife of the Duke of Beauvillier. This project was part of a desire to modernize hospital infrastructure, reflecting the architectural and political influence of the Royal Court.
The structure of the monument revolves around a courtyard closed by a monumental stone door, framed by two long square buildings. The latter, on a single ground floor surmounted by a mansard floor, housed spaces dedicated to the sick and the services. The chapel, placed at the junction of the two wings, marked the spiritual heart of the whole, emphasizing the dual charitable and religious role of the institution.
Partially classified as Historic Monuments in 1971, the hospital-hospice retains protected elements such as its facades, roofs (including the lantern), and an interior staircase. The property, now communal, bears witness to the architectural heritage of the Great Century and to the evolution of hospital practices in France. Its state of conservation and location, specified at 9 Bis Rue Maurice Berteaux, make it a remarkable heritage of the Loir-et-Cher.
