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Origin and history

The convent of the Ursulines of Tonnerre, located in the department of Yonne in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, was founded in 1627 at the initiative of Count Charles-Henri de Tonnerre and the local aldermen. The city then lacked religious teachers to educate girls. The Ursulines, coming from Châtillon-sur-Seine, had to finance the construction of their church and convent themselves, which plunged them into financial difficulties as early as 1665, aggravated by the demands of the Count.

At the Revolution, the nuns were dispersed and their property confiscated. The congregation was restored in 1805 and then officially authorized by a royal ordinance in 1826. After the dissolution of 1905, the town bought some of the buildings, demolished some (like a Renaissance turret) and built school buildings. Today, the site houses a high school, and its 16th century arcades, the only protected remains, have been listed as historical monuments since 1943.

The convent illustrates the tensions between local and religious power, as well as the upheavals linked to the laws of separation of churches and the state. Ursulines, dedicated to women's education, were a lasting sign of Tonnerre's social history. A window grid of the convent is kept at the municipal museum, bearing witness to its architectural heritage.

The only protected elements of the monument are the two 16th century arcade spans, located at 10-14 Pasteur Street and Edmond-Jacob Square. Their Renaissance style contrasts with the later transformations of the site, today communal property and dedicated to teaching.

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