Foundation of the convent 1639 (≈ 1639)
Creation of the Capuchin convent.
1814
Building fire
Building fire 1814 (≈ 1814)
Partial destruction by fire.
1823
Reconstruction of the site
Reconstruction of the site 1823 (≈ 1823)
Rebuilding after fire.
Janvier 1825
First formal hearing
First formal hearing Janvier 1825 (≈ 1825)
Inauguration of the reconstructed court.
25 septembre 2015
Monument protection
Monument protection 25 septembre 2015 (≈ 2015)
Registration as a Historic Monument.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Former court and prison: all the facades and roofs of the buildings, including the housing of the guards, the courtyards with their floor and walls, the entrance gate, the wall separating the two courtyards and all the fence walls, the courtroom of the court with the four rooms located at the back of the ground floor as well as the cell comprising the charcoal frieze located on the first floor of the former guard house (see AA 66): inscription by order of 25 September 2015
Key figures
Jean-Baptiste Vaudé - Architect
Master of reconstruction.
Origin and history
The former convent of the Capuchins of Nogent-sur-Seine, founded in 1639, was converted during the Revolution into a court, prison and gendarmerie. This change of function reflects the institutional upheavals of the period, when religious property is often reassigned to public or administrative uses. The 1814 fire destroyed part of the buildings, marking a turning point in their history.
The reconstruction took place in 1823, with a first solemn hearing held in January 1825. The materials used, such as stone and stone, as well as the preservation of original furniture and dungeons, testify to the architectural and prison practices of the time. The mirror facades, typical of the late eighteenth century, add an aesthetic and symbolic dimension to the ensemble.
Inside, the courtroom and the cells, including the one decorated with a charcoal frieze representing an Italian panorama, offer an overview of the conditions of detention and the spontaneous art of the detainees. These graffiti, as well as the spatial organization of court and prison, illustrate a conception inherited from the Old Regime, where justice and imprisonment were closely linked.
The ensemble has been protected since 2015 for its facades, roofs, courtyards, and remarkable interior elements, highlighting its heritage importance. The architect Jean-Baptiste Vaudé, mentioned as a masterpiece, helped shape this emblematic place, today owned by the municipality of Nogent-sur-Seine.
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