Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Bourges General Hospital was established in 1657 to combat begging, in a context where urban poverty is worsening. By 1638, the municipality had ordered a chapel to architect Jean Lejuge, whose choir was later surrounded by sacristies in 1832. This religious building, dedicated to Saint-Roch, marks the beginnings of a hospital complex intended to accommodate the indigent. The city, faced with the influx of beggars, built in the 18th century a new building linking two 17th century pavilions, thus extending the capacity of the institution.

During the French Revolution, the officers left the hospital, and their return came only with the Concordat (1801), restoring a religious framework for assistance. In the 4th quarter of the 19th century and in the early 20th century, the construction of a central pavilion (including that of 1892, signed Fernaut) gradually transformed the beggars' hospital into a modern medical institution. The last extensions, such as the infirmary of 1904-1905, complete this functional mutation. The whole, partially protected since 2004, reflects the architectural and social adaptation of French hospitals over four centuries.

The protected elements include the facades of the Ventadour and Barjon pavilions (17th century), the Saint-Roch chapel of Jean Lejuge, as well as the 18th, 19th and 20th century buildings. The Saint-Ambroix fountain, integrated with the estate, and the grounds of the courses complete this heritage. A communal property, the hospital reflects public policies of hygiene and charity, from the former regime to the Third Republic.

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