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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The house of the canonesse des Bénédictines de Saint-Laurent in Bourges is a historical monument linked to a religious community whose settlement in Bourges remains uncertain (VIth or IXth century). Conventual sites, destroyed by fires in 1252, 1353 and 1487, were restored around 1490. This spiritual renewal, marked by the Cazalian reform, led to the reconstruction and expansion of the buildings under the abbatiate of Anne de Fauvelet from 1674, including the house of the abbess.

In 1792, the dispersal of the nuns and the piercing of Rue Neuve-Saint-Laurent (now Voltaire Street) led to the demolition of the church. In 1839 the Jesuits settled there and set up a chapel in one of the convent buildings. At the end of the 19th century, two pavilions were built to frame the entrance to the house of the Abbess, thus marking its architectural evolution.

Classified as a Historical Monument by decree of 15 November 1913, this house is today a vestige of the religious and urban transformations of Bourges. Its location, between Place Saint-Bonnet and Rue Voltaire, reflects its integration into the historical fabric of the city. The accuracy of its location, however, remains poor, with a score of 5/10 depending on available sources.

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