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Origin and history

The Lariboisière Hospital, located in the 10th arrondissement of Paris, was built in the 19th century according to the hygienist principles of the time. Its symmetrical "double comb" design, with ten wings and a central chapel, reflects "aeristic" theories aimed at avoiding air stagnation. Inaugurated in 1854, it was financed by the bequest of Countess Élisa de Lariboisière, whose name it bears since that date.

The decision to build it was taken after the cholera epidemic of 1832, revealing the inadequacy of Parisian hospitals. Between 1839 and 1845, controversies delayed the project, until the architect Martin-Pierre Gauthier led the work from 1846 on the grounds of the former Saint-Lazare enclosure. The hospital changed its name several times before finally adopting Lariboisière's name in 1854, in tribute to her benefactor.

The chapel, decorated with statues of theological virtues and glass windows representing the apostles, houses the funeral monument of the Countess, carved by Carlo Marochetti. Despite its initial ambition, the hospital was criticized in the 1860s for its high mortality, attributed to the limits of the hygienist theory "aerist". This problem was solved only with the advent of aseptics in the late 1870s.

The facades, roofs, galleries and chapel were listed as historical monuments in 1975, the latter being classified in 2019. Today, the hospital is part of the Hospital Group including Saint-Louis and Fernand-Widal. A restructuring project, launched in 2019, envisages the modernisation of infrastructure and the sale of land to finance the works, while preserving its architectural heritage.

The Lariboisière hospital is served by Gare du Nord and Barbès-Rochechouart metro stations, and remains a notable example of 19th-century hospital architecture, combining medical innovation, philanthropy and historical heritage. Its pavilion organization, although criticized for its practical shortcomings, embodies the hygienist ideals of its time.

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