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Origin and history

The Chapel of Charity, located in Arles on Boulevard des Lices, is one of the few remains of the Carmelite convent founded in the 17th century. Integrated into a larger complex including the former Charity Hospital, it was built from 1708 by master mason Guillaume Astier. His name comes from the transfer of the neighbouring hospital, deemed to be old, to the Carmelite convent during the Revolution. After their expulsion, the nuns briefly returned to the 19th century before leaving the place permanently at the beginning of the 20th century.

The chapel was transformed into a concert hall in 1928 when the convent was converted into a luxury hotel (the current Jules-César hotel), and was preserved by this reassignment. Ranked a historic monument in 1927, it now belongs to the town of Arles and hosts temporary exhibitions. Its baroque architecture, marked by a triangular pediment decorated with a medallion representing the Transverberation of Sainte-Thérèse, and its original furniture (carved chair, retable by Pierre Parrocel) testify to its rich religious past.

The Carmelites, who had been living in Arles since 1631, had initially acquired land near the door of the Market-Neuf, including a cemetery and remains of the former hospital. Their turbulent history includes successive expulsions: during the Revolution, in 1823 (return to the former convent of the Recollets, today the museum of the Resistance), then in the late nineteenth century. Their last return to the Mouleyrès district in the early 20th century lasted until 2013. The chapel, disused of worship, remains a remarkable example of Arlesian religious heritage.

The interior of the chapel is distinguished by a three-span nave with arches in the middle hanger, composite pilasters and neat arches. The baroque altarpiece of the high altar, surmounted by a canvas by Pierre Parrocel (Apotheosis of Sainte-Thérèse), and the pulpit sculpted by Jean-Baptiste Péru (both classified as Historical Monuments) illustrate the 18th century Provencal sacred art. The communion table, transferred to the church of Saint-Trophime, recalls the links between these buildings.

Today, a communal property, the Chapel of Charity is a dynamic cultural place, while preserving the traces of its religious and architectural history. Its ranking in 1927 and its central location, close to the music kiosk and hotel Jules-César, make it a major point of interest for Arlesian heritage.

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