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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The former chapel of the White Penitents, located in Narbonne, was built in the early seventeenth century by the brotherhood founded in 1588-1589 by M. de Joyeuse. Originally settled in the Cordeliers, the White Penitents established themselves in 1592 near St Paul's Hospital. Faced with the smallness of the premises, they built a new chapel, completed in 1620, partly on the territory of the hospital. The marble gate, commissioned in 1642 and made in 1648, adorns the north façade, while a ceiling in lambris temporarily replaced the vault of the choir between 1657 and 1663, before its definitive reconstruction in 1723.

In the 18th century, the chapel had several arrangements: a choir balustrade in 1738, a background stand in 1749, and a marble altar in 1752. In 1811 it was ceded to the Hospices by prefectoral decree, forcing the White Penitents to settle in the Augustins. The building, with its unique nave rectangular plan and flat bedside, is distinguished by its vaults on dogive crosses, its basket cove stands, and its triumphal arch in full hanger. Only the north and east facades, including the gate with splits and full arch, remain visible, the rest being integrated into the hospital buildings.

Classified as a Historical Monument in 1984, the chapel illustrates post-Renaissance religious architecture and the influence of secular brotherhoods in Languedoc. Its history reflects the urban and religious dynamics of Narbonne, between aristocratic patronage (M. de Joyeuse), structural adaptations, and public reallocation in the 19th century. The accuracy of its location remains poor (level 6/10), but its approximate address, 34 Rue Rabelais, makes it an accessible heritage witness in the historic centre.

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