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Origin and history

The convent of the Ursulines of Montpellier, founded in the 17th century, settled in 1641 on the site of a former medieval monastery of the nuns of Sainte-Catherine, dated 1357. Bishop Pierre Fenouillet, in a context of post-war Catholic reconquest of Religion, welcomed six ursulines from Pézenas to educate poor girls. The architect Jean Bonnassier led the works from 1660, erecting the north and west wings, as well as part of the south wing. The chapel, rebuilt between 1785 and 1789 by engineer Louis Roussel, marks a phase of modernization before the Revolution.

Between 1697 and 1738, under the Jansenist episcopate of Joachim de Colbert, the Ursulines developed their educational mission, opening new classes. But their decline began in 1738 when Bishop Berger de Charancy, hostile to Jansenism, removed the residents to other convents. Sold as a national property in 1792, the site became a revolutionary prison, then a barracks, before being transformed into a central house of detention from 1805 to 1844 by Jacques Roussel, with a cell rotunda inspired by 18th century circular prison models.

In the 19th century, the convent alternated between women's prison (1825-1934), occupied by the Gestapo during the Second World War, and military barracks (until 1986). Repurchased by the city of Montpellier in the 1980s, it was listed as a historical monument in 1991 for its facades and roofs. Since 2025, it has hosted Agora, Cité internationale de la danse, a fusion of the national choreographic centre and the Montpellier Danse festival.

The protection of the site in 1991 concerns all the facades and roofs on the adjacent streets (boulevard Louis-Blanc, rue de l'Université, etc.). Its architecture thus combines religious heritage (south wing with infirmary, marble chapel) and prison adaptations (cell rotonde), testifying to its functional metamorphoses. Historical sources, such as the memoirs of André Delort (17th century) or the works of Canon Azema, document these transitions.

The convent also illustrates local religious tensions: support for Jansenists under Colbert, repression under Berger de Charancy, and revolutionary nationalization. Its prison use reflects the evolution of French prison systems, from collective prisons from the 19th century to Nazi occupation. Today, its cultural conversion makes it an emblematic place of Montpellier, linking heritage and contemporary creation.

The precise location, at 16 rue Sainte-Ursule, and its Insee code (34172) anchor in the historic district of the city. The protected elements (cadastre HP 127) include traces of different eras, from medieval foundations to 20th century military installations.

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