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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The hospital of Apt, built in the 1st quarter of the 18th century, succeeds a former establishment named hospital Saint-Castor, dedicated to a local bishop. It was administered by the Sisters of Saint Vincent de Paul, a congregation dedicated to care and charity. The architectural ensemble, including a chapel, reflects the medical and religious practices of the period, with a pharmacy founded in 1754 by the acquisition of the fund of an apothecary of Saint-Saturnin-les-Apt.

The remarkable elements of the hospital, such as pharmaceutical faiences, donatives (pannels symbolizing the gifts of the sick) and ancient furniture, are now preserved at the Museum of History and Archaeology of Apt. These objects bear witness to the hospital life and medical practices of the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as to the piety of patients and their families.

Ranked a historic monument on November 16, 1989, the hospital illustrates the evolution of health structures in Provence. The protections specifically concern the chapel and the facades of the north wing, while the site remains property of the municipality. Its architecture and history reflect the central role of religious institutions in care before modern medicalization.

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