Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The novitiate of the Jesuits of Avignon was built at the end of the sixteenth century to serve as a house of religious formation for novices of the Society of Jesus. His history began in 1564 with the establishment of a Jesuit college in the city, followed in 1589 by a major donation by Louise d'Ancezune, allowing the acquisition of a land street of Old Studies. The building of the chapel, designed by Brother Étienne Martellange, began in 1601 and was consecrated in 1611, later housing the tomb of the patron.

The buildingwork, organised around a central courtyard, spanned more than a century. Étienne Martellange initiated the first structures, taken over in 1627 by François de Royers de la Valfenière, then completed in the 18th century by Jean Péru and his son. The architecture combines a Greek cross-shaped chapel surmounted by a dome, vaulted galleries, and a porch of entry into the hemicycle, reflecting the reborn and baroque influence.

In 1768, the expulsion of the Jesuits by Louis XV led to the sale of the novitiate to the nuns of Sainte-Praxède, before its transformation into a branch of the Hôtel des Invalides (1801-1850). He became a municipal property in 1852 thanks to a donation from Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, and served as a hospice for 40 years. Ranked a historic monument in 1950, the site was rehabilitated in 1987 by Jean Nouvel to host a hotel and cultural activities, including today the Higher Institute of Performing Arts in Avignon.

The chapel preserves paintings of the four evangelists by Jean-Denis Attiret (1737), while the wings of the building, redesigned in the 17th and 18th centuries, illustrate the evolution of architectural styles. The north wing, transformed into a luxury hotel, and the spaces dedicated to the Avignon Festival testify to its contemporary adaptation, combining heritage and modernity.

The novitiate thus embodies almost five centuries of religious, social and urban history, marked by patrons such as Louise d'Ancezune, Jesuit architects, and successive reallocations. Its inscription in the Historic Monuments and its recent rehabilitation make it an emblematic place of the Avignon heritage, at the crossroads of spiritual heritage and cultural dynamism.

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