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Origin and history

The Collège Saint-Jérôme was founded at the end of the 15th century by Benedictine Counties Antoine de Roche, Prior of Cluny, to welcome religious following the courses of the University of Dole. The church, consecrated in 1520, marked the culmination of a spacious and prestigious building, conceived as one of the most remarkable in the city. The states of Franche-Comté met there, stressing its political and religious importance.

The buildings, partially destroyed, were rebuilt in the early eighteenth century. After the Revolution, the college became a national property sold to private individuals, before being redeemed in 1826 by the Sisters of the Visitation. The latter occupied until 1978, when the premises were renovated to house public services and associations. The architecture, organized around two courtyards (the cloister with arcade gallery and a courtyard is below), preserves original elements such as the church choir and two stone staircases with wrought iron ramps.

Ranked Historic Monument in 1998, the college illustrates the evolution of the uses of a religious and educational building, from medieval teaching to contemporary civil functions. Its grid structure, with the church in the north, reflects both its monastic heritage and its adaptation to secular needs. Today, there remains a major testimony of the Dolois heritage, combining academic, religious and architectural history.

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