Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The convent Saint-Antoine d'Olmeto, located in the commune of Olmeto in Corsica, was founded in October 1717 at the request of the local inhabitants. This convent of Capuchins, built according to a regular U-shaped plan, included convent buildings and a church. It was designed to accommodate up to 24 religious who devoted themselves to preaching, confession and missions in the region. The architecture, sober and functional, reflected the ideal simplicity of the Capuchins, with local materials such as granite and brick.

At the French Revolution, the convent was sold as a national good, marking the end of its initial religious vocation. In 1860, the remains were transferred to the parish of Olmeto. Today, the building is largely ruined: only building elements supported by the church in the east and extending its bedside to the north remain. The church, rectangular with a flat bedside, keeps traces of its original layout, like two side chapels vaulted with bricks and pilasters adorning the walls.

The architectural apparatus mixes unquarried granite blocks with bricks, typical of Corsican religious constructions of the time. A free bell, characteristic of the Capuchin buildings, originally extended the bedside. Although partially destroyed, the site remains a testament to Corsica's religious and community history in the 18th century. The convent was inscribed in the Historical Monuments by order of 8 March 1991, thus recognizing its heritage value.

External links