Foundation of the Hotel-Dieu-le-Comte milieu du XIIe siècle (≈ 1250)
By Henri I, Count of Champagne.
vers 1725
Development of apothecary
Development of apothecary vers 1725 (≈ 1725)
Creation of the current hall and hall.
fin du XVIIe siècle
Stone reconstruction
Stone reconstruction fin du XVIIe siècle (≈ 1795)
Replacement of the wooden building.
1962
Closure of pharmacy
Closure of pharmacy 1962 (≈ 1962)
End of hospital activity.
1976
Deposit of collections at the City
Deposit of collections at the City 1976 (≈ 1976)
Transfer to Troyes Hospital.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Henri Ier de Champagne - Count of Champagne (XII century)
Founder of the Hôtel-Dieu-le-Comte.
Pierre Pomet - Author of the 18th century
Inspiration of silene decorations.
Jean-Marie Denis - Collector
Exposed pharmaceutical faiences.
Origin and history
The Hôtel-Dieu-le-Comte, founded in the middle of the 12th century by Henri I, Count of Champagne known as the Liberal, was originally a wooden construction. At the end of the 17th century, old and small, it was replaced by a stone building. Today's Apothecary, built around 1725, consists of a large storage room and an office. It operated until 1962, keeping its original arrangement, before being entrusted to the City of Troyes in 1976 by the local hospital. Currently closed for renovation, it will integrate the future City of stained glass worn by the Aube Department.
The Apothecary is famous for its 319 silenes (painted wooden boxes) of the eighteenth century, decorated with humorous, allegorical or symbolic motifs inspired by Pierre Pomet's General Drug History (1695). These cans, cylindrical or rectangular, were used to store raw medicinal substances. The site also houses a collection of bronze mortars (XVIth-17th centuries), tin objects such as a theriac fountain, and European pharmaceutical faiences (Jean-Marie Denis collection).
Ranked among the most beautiful apothecaries in France, this site illustrates decorative art and medical history. The museum occupies a classic 1725 pavilion, with bay windows overlooking the Quai des Comtes de Champagne and a paved courtyard leading to the old chapel. His interest lies in the exceptional preservation of his furniture, tools and his period atmosphere, offering a unique testimony of pre-industrial pharmaceutical practices.
