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Origin and history

The Holy Spirit chapel of Antibes was born in the fifth century, as attested by archaeological excavations carried out between 1981 and 1984. This research revealed four successive states of construction between late antiquity and the Carolingian era, as well as remains of a sixth century narthex (including a stone still visible today). Originally, the chapel formed a cathedral group with the former Cathedral of St Mary, the seat of the bishopric of Antibes until its transfer to Grasse in 1244. The Saracen incursions from 730 onward disrupted local religious life, as evidenced by the shortcomings in the episcopal list.

The present chapel was rebuilt in 1385 to house the brotherhood of the White Penitents of the Holy Spirit, founded in 1591. The major works of the 17th century included the addition of a baroque altarpiece (1642) by the carpenter Mathurin Beauclair, the enhancement of the vault (1681), and the redesign of the portal in 1751 in a baroque style. The chapel became a national good during the Revolution, serving in turn as barracks, a planned presbytery (1810), a prison for Napoleon's soldiers in 1815 and then a school (1821–24).

Ranked a historic monument in 1945, the chapel was transformed into a council hall in 1988. Its architecture, with a single nave and semicircular apse (21.70 m long), preserves medieval and baroque elements. The excavations also revealed altar pieces of the 5th century and fragments of chancel of the 8th century, now exposed to the archaeological museum of Antibes. These remains illustrate its central role in the religious history of the region, marked by phases of destruction (sarrasins) and restoration (Carolingian period).

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