Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Étienne Charity Hospital was founded in 1682, with an official foundation followed by the construction of the first buildings between 1690 and 1693. The chapel, built in coalstone sandstone between 1708 and 1741, marks the historic anchor of the site. In the 19th century, two new buildings were added by architect Léon Lamaizière at the corner of the streets Badouillère and Saint-Roch, meeting the growing needs of the establishment.

After the First World War, a major rehabilitation was undertaken under the direction of architect Henri Lasserre. An Art Deco-style administrative building is erected along Michelet Street, while the facades, monumental stairway and honorary hall, decorated by Maurice Denis in 1933, become emblematic elements. Denis' murals illustrate the settlements of the Civil Hospices, such as the Sablière's aerium or Riocreux's preventorium, mixing realism and allegory.

The site, partially listed as historical monuments in 1979 and 2002, reflects the architectural and health developments of the twentieth century. The chapel and monumental staircase, as well as the facades and roofs of the administrative building, are protected for their heritage value. The interior decorations, including the woodwork, stained glass and paintings by Maurice Denis, bear witness to the artistic and hygienist will of the time.

The renovation of the site, initiated between the two wars, met the unsanitary nature of the 17th century buildings and increased medical needs. The architects Coste and Lasserre design modern pavilions, while the competition for the decoration of the meeting room is finally entrusted to Maurice Denis, despite initial models deemed unsatisfactory. This project is part of a dynamic of hospital infrastructure modernization, combining functionality and aesthetics.

The civil Hospices of Saint-Étienne, managers of the site, played a key role in its development, notably through figures such as notary Fougerolle, vice-president of the board of directors. Charity, originally founded for the indigent, evolves into a versatile medical structure, integrating specialized establishments such as the Palavas-les-Flots Heliomarine Treatment House. This hospital heritage illustrates the social and medical changes in the region.

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