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Origin and history

The Convent of the Clarisses of Thionville was founded in 1629 by nuns of the order of the Clarisses, established in Luxembourg since the 16th century. They first settled in a house on the Rue de la Vieille-Porte under the protection of the infant Isabelle-Eugénie, before receiving in 1635 a plot on the edge of the Moselle to build a convent dedicated to the Holy Spirit. Completed in 1641, the building was severely damaged during the siege of 1643 and restored with the blessing of the chapel in 1665. The clarisses provided education for girls from the city until the Revolution.

In 1695, the gate was redone and a wing with shops was added on the rue du Pont (current rue Georges-Ditsch). In 1751 a small two-apartment building was built at the back of the courtyard. The French Revolution ended their presence: in 1792 the convent was converted into a military barracks and the chapel became a meeting place for the Jacobin club. The buildings, transferred to the city in 1804, then housed the municipal hospice until 1898, when they were transformed into a town hall.

The original architecture, although partially altered, preserves notable elements such as facades, roofs (the 17th century carriage), cellars and part of the chapel. The main house body, backed by the enclosure of Thionville Castle, incorporates two medieval towers. Despite partial restorations and destructions (especially in 1947 for urban alignment), the site remains a major testimony of the religious and civil heritage of Lorraine. It has been listed as a historical monument since 22 October 1991.

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