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Key figures

Origin and history

The chapel Saint-Nicolas de Vitré, built in the medieval suburb of Rachapt between the 15th and 16th centuries, is a remarkable example of Gothic architecture flamboyant in shale and sandstone. It belonged to the hospital Saint-Nicolas, strategically located near Vilaine and major roads to Fougères, Rennes or Paris, facilitating the reception of pilgrims and sick. Its location near a watercourse also ensured optimal hygiene for care.

Classified as a historic monument in 1980, the chapel is surrounded by the old hospital buildings to the south and the convent of Augustines (17th century) to the north, where nuns in hospitals worked until 1974. This convent, built between 1675 and 1707, is distinguished by its cloister and attic at the Mansart, showing the expansion of the Augustinian order in the region.

Transformed into a museum in 1986 and expanded in 1997, the chapel now houses a national collection of sacred art, including 19th-century religious goldsmithy. Among his treasures are a tomb of Canon Robert de Grasmenil (died 1500), a golden tabernacle of the eighteenth century, murals of the 15th to 16th centuries, and a wrought iron gate of the 17th century, vestige of the choir of the nuns.

The museum owes its reputation to its unique specialization in France, enriched annually by acquisitions supported by the Direction des Musées de France and the Fonds régional d'acquisition des musées de Bretagne. Its heritage reflects both Vitre's hospital history and the evolution of Breton religious art.

The origin of the site dates back to 1655, when five hospital augusts moved to the Rachapt district. Their original convent, built in 1657, was replaced by a larger monastery between 1675 and 1707, marking the climax of their local influence until their departure in 1974.

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