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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Notre Dame de Consolation Chapel, also known as the Chapel of Santiago or the Hospital, is a historic monument listed in 1987. Located Avenue Philippe Solari in Aix-en-Provence, it is enclaved in the buildings of the Saint-Jacques Hospital, owned by the city. Its history dates back to the late 11th century, with a first mention in 1092 when Archbishop Peter II donated to the cathedral chapter. Originally it occupied the site of a Romanesque church dedicated to Saint Andrew, before taking the name of Notre-Dame de Consolation in 1326.

In the 16th century, the chapel was integrated into the hospital complex built by consul Jacques de La Roque. In 1585 it was granted to the Capuchins, who reversed its orientation, destroying the original choir in the east to move it to the west. The Renaissance gate, carved by Jean Guiramand, was then dismantled and reassembled to the east. No major changes were recorded until 1884, the date of restoration work that gave it its present appearance, mixing Renaissance and neo-Gothic elements.

Archaeological excavations carried out in 2001 revealed frescoes from the 16th and 17th centuries under a modern badigeon. In 2008, a diagnosis on the court suggested that he could serve as a cemetery, surrounded by a fence wall. Restoration work was undertaken to stabilize the foundations, damaged by water infiltration, and to consolidate the right chapel, threatened by collapse. In 2012, a new archaeological operation took place, and in 2018 the chapel was entrusted to the Lebanese-Syrian Maronite community.

Architecturally, the chapel presents a nave of three spans bordered by lateral chapels, with a choir with a flat bedside. The vaults on dogive crosses date from the 16th century for the nave and from the 17th century for the chapels. The triangular facade is rhythmized by a broken arch resting on re-use Corinthian columns. It houses a Renaissance stone portal of Calissanne, surmounted by a niche with a statue of St James and framed by modern statues.

The chapel thus illustrates centuries of religious and hospital history in Aix-en-Provence, combining medieval heritage, Renaissance transformations and modern restorations. Its integration into the St. James Hospital and its current use by Eastern Christians make it a place of memory and still alive worship.

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