Foundation of the convent 1632 (≈ 1632)
Created by Françoise de Saliné.
1682-1740
Construction of buildings
Construction of buildings 1682-1740 (≈ 1711)
Dominican architectural ensemble built.
1770
Completion of the chapel
Completion of the chapel 1770 (≈ 1770)
Church of Saint Thomas Aquinas finalized by Pierre Bullet.
1795
Conversion to military site
Conversion to military site 1795 (≈ 1795)
End of religious vocation.
1818-1840
Laboratories of Louis Gay-Lussac
Laboratories of Louis Gay-Lussac 1818-1840 (≈ 1829)
Chemical research for artillery.
1982
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 1982 (≈ 1982)
Protection of buildings and cloister.
2016
Acquisition by Sciences Po
Acquisition by Sciences Po 2016 (≈ 2016)
Start of expansion work.
2022
Opening of Sciences Po campus
Opening of Sciences Po campus 2022 (≈ 2022)
Integration after restoration.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin Church (cad. 07:01 AD 19): classification by decree of 21 September 1982; Conventual buildings: facade on the square; cloister (walls of facades and covers of the building; interior galleries); inside staircase with its wrought iron ramp; red living room with its decor (cad. 07 : 01 AD 28): classification by order of 21 September 1982 ; Conventual buildings: facades and roofs, except those classified (Box 07: 01 AD 28): inscription by decree of 21 September 1982
Key figures
Françoise de Saliné - Founder
Created the convent in 1632.
Pierre Bullet - Architect
Designed the chapel in 1770.
Louis Gay-Lussac - Chemist
Worked in laboratories (1818-1840).
Rachel Lambert Mellon - Philanthropist
Finished the garden in 2019.
Origin and history
The novitiate of the Dominicans, founded in 1632 by Françoise de Saliné as the convent Saint-Thomas d'Aquina, was originally intended to accommodate 50 brothers and housed a library of 14,000 books. The convent buildings, built between 1682 and 1740, include a chapel completed in 1770 according to the plans of Pierre Bullet. The cloister, modified several times, served as a place of life and study for Dominicans, while the pavilion of the infirmaries was erected between 1728 and 1729. Building levels were raised in the 18th and 19th centuries, reflecting the architectural and functional evolution of the site.
The French Revolution ended its religious vocation in 1795, when the sites became military property. The central artillery committee set up and built chemical laboratories for Louis Gay-Lussac between 1818 and 1840, as well as metallurgy workshops. The cloister, transformed into a museum of weapons, houses collections transferred to the Invalides in 1871. The site, renowned Artillery hotel, then hosts the General Control of the Armed Forces until 2010, marking its central role in French military history.
In 2016, the Institut d'études politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) acquired the building for €87 million, despite an initial assessment of €104 million, which was controversial. Restoration work worth EUR 200 million, financed by borrowing and raising funds, enabled it to be integrated into campus in 2022. The garden of the Cour Wingle de Beaulieu is renamed in 2019 Rachel-Lambert-Mellon Garden, thanks to a €4.6 million donation from the Gerard B. Lambert Foundation.
The site, with an area of 14,000 m2, consists of three main courtyards: the Sevastopol courtyard (former cloister), the Rachel-Lambert-Mellon garden, and the Gribeauval courtyard. The North stairway, classified as a historic monument, and the South stairway being restored illustrate the heritage richness of the site. The adjacent church of St.Thomas Aquinas and the facades of the convent buildings have been protected since 1982, reflecting its architectural and historical importance.
In popular culture, the novitiate appears briefly in the series Castle (season 5, episode 16), where the entrance of the site serves as a decor for a scene taking place in front of St. Thomas' Aquinas church. This wink highlights its anchor in the Parisian landscape, between religious, military and educational heritage.
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