Discovery of the statue 1512 (≈ 1512)
Statue of the Virgin found in a safe.
1609
Trust in Dominicans
Trust in Dominicans 1609 (≈ 1609)
Sanctuary and hospital run by Dominicans.
1610
End of hospital management
End of hospital management 1610 (≈ 1610)
Dominicans devote themselves to teaching.
1613-1655
Construction of the chapel
Construction of the chapel 1613-1655 (≈ 1634)
Built by Dominicans over 42 years.
1857
Fire of the convent
Fire of the convent 1857 (≈ 1857)
Partial destruction except the vaulted door.
1866
Reconstruction
Reconstruction 1866 (≈ 1866)
Covers current architectural lines.
1867-1876
Major restoration
Major restoration 1867-1876 (≈ 1872)
Complete renovation of the chapel.
1879
Modification of the bell tower
Modification of the bell tower 1879 (≈ 1879)
Added a bumblebee to the structure.
1889
Completion of the dome
Completion of the dome 1889 (≈ 1889)
Statue of the Virgin installed at the top.
6 janvier 1971
MH classification
MH classification 6 janvier 1971 (≈ 1971)
Registration for historical monuments.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Chapelle Notre-Dame, including the vaulted passage with its two entrance doors and their vantaux (see AE 278, 281): inscription by order of 6 January 1971
Key figures
Dominicains - Religious Order
Manufacturers and managers (1609-1610).
Marie Rivier - Beatified in 2022
Beneficiary of a miracle attributed to the statue.
Robert Louis Stevenson - Traveller writer
Put the statue in 1878.
Origin and history
The chapel Notre-Dame de Pradelles is the last vestige of the former hospital of Santiago, founded to welcome pilgrims of Santiago de Compostela and sick. After the Wars of Religion, the sanctuary and hospital were entrusted to the Dominicans in 1609. The latter, released from hospital management in 1610 to devote themselves to teaching, undertook the construction of the chapel between 1613 and 1655. The bell tower, rebuilt in 1655 with fifteen additional panels, was later modified, notably in 1879 to house a bumblebee, while the stone dome topped by the statue of the Virgin was completed in 1889.
The chapel houses a statue of the Virgin and Child, discovered in 1512 in a vault and became an object of Marian veneration. Its original architecture includes a vaulted passage across the road, allowing the development of a podium to the west. This arrangement, linked to the former hospital, reflects the importance of the site as a place of worship and reception. The Dominicans played a central role in the promotion of pilgrimage until the Revolution, while wonders associated with the statue, such as that attributed to Marie Rivier (betified in 2022), strengthened her reputation.
The building, partially destroyed by fire in 1857 (with the exception of the door under the vault), was rebuilt in 1866 in its current lines. A major restoration took place between 1867 and 1876, followed by the addition of the dome in 1889. Joined the historical monuments in 1971, the chapel is now valued by the Association of Faithful and Friends of Our Lady of Pradelles (AFANDP), which works to preserve it and open it to the public. Its history, between medieval hospitality, Marian worship and architectural heritage, makes it an exceptional witness to the devotion in the Haute-Loire.
