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Convent of the Jacobins of Saints à Saintes en Charente-Maritime

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine religieux
Couvent
Charente-Maritime

Convent of the Jacobins of Saints

    Rue des Jacobins
    17100 Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Couvent des Jacobins de Saintes
Crédit photo : Cobber17 - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1300
1400
1500
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
début XIIIe siècle
Foundation of the convent
1446
Construction of church
1790 (environ)
Sale as a national good
1928
Legacy to the city of Saintes
1938
Opening of the municipal library
1er octobre 1987
First MH protection
fin XIXe siècle
Acquisition by Maurice Martineau
2001
Transformation into a media library
22 avril 2004
Registration of the chapel
18 août 2005
Church ranking
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

The ground floor of the main wing closing the courtyard to the west; the entrance hall of the main wing including the stairwell and staircase; the building in return along the rue des Jacobins (exterior and interior decor) (C.D. 26): inscription by order of 1 October 1987 - The church with its inscription dated 1446 and the adjoining chapel (cad. CD 26): inscription by decree of 22 April 2004 - The church of the old convent in its entirety, without the adjoining chapel (cad. CD 26): classification by decree of 18 August 2005

Key figures

Maurice Martineau - Cognac and patron trader Owner, renovator and donor of the convent.
Marcel Delon - Master glassmaker Author of Art Nouveau stained glass windows.
Théodore Deck - Ceramicist and Musaist Creator of earthenware decorations.
Bernard Palissy - Ceramicist and writer (XVI century) Author of a work kept in the collections.

Origin and history

The convent of the Jacobins of Saints, founded in the early 13th century, housed a community of Dominican monks until the Revolution. Sold as a national property, it was transformed into a private home before being acquired by Maurice Martineau, trading in cognac and bibliophile, at the end of the 19th century. Martineau installed a rich library and had the premises renovated, incorporating Art Nouveau elements such as Marcel Delon's stained glass windows and the ceramics of Théodore Deck. Only medieval remains, the church (1446) and its capitular hall were partially preserved despite the demolition of part of the nave to build the hotel Martineau, a body of modern houses.

When he died in 1928, Martineau left the convent and its collection of books to the city. The site became the municipal library in 1938, then the François-Mitterrand media library in 2001, after renovations including reading spaces, cloisters, and a chapel transformed into an exhibition hall. The church, classified as a historical monument in 2005, maintains a flamboyant 15th century window and 18th century gate, while parts of the convent (ground floor, staircase, interior decor) have been protected since 1987 and 2004.

The old media library has rare manuscripts, such as the Hours of the Cathedral of Saintes (15th century) or a work by Bernard Palissy (16th century). The architecture of the site reflects its contrasting history: medieval Gothic structures alongside neo-renaissance additions and Art Nouveau, illustrating 19th-century eclecticism. Today, the place combines heritage conservation and modernity, with gardens on three levels and cultural spaces open to the public.

Successive protections (1987, 2004, 2005) highlight the historical value of the site, where monastic traces are superimposed, a legacy of a passionate patron, and a contemporary vocation to spread knowledge. The Star Chapel, with star ceilings, and the signed stained glass windows Delon recalls the dialogue between sacred art and secular creation that characterizes places.

Future

Since 1938, the monastery has been built into a municipal library. In 2001, the library took the name "Mitterrand François Media Library".

External links