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Origin and history

The Porte de la Cour de l'Ambulance is part of the abbey of Saint-André-le-Haut, founded in the 6th century in Vienna by nobles under the rule of Saint Léonien. Although the founding charter of 543 was considered a forgery by some historians, archaeological remains attested to an early chapel of the VIth-VIIth centuries. The Abbey, located on Pipet Hill, was reorganized in the 11th century with the arrival of nuns from Saint-Césaire d'Arles, introducing a new monastic rule.

In the 17th century, under the abbesses Clémence and Marquise de Villars, the abbey experienced important works, including the reconstruction of the cloister and the addition of a monumental gate in 1665 for the court of honour. This gate, classified in 1924, symbolizes the period of renovation after the destruction of the Wars of Religion (1562), where Protestants chased the nuns and destroyed the bell tower. The abbey church, originally reserved for nuns, then became parish church after the destruction of the local church.

At the Revolution, the abbey was sold as a national property and divided into private dwellings. The buildings, including the gate of the Ambulance Court, were partially preserved despite subsequent transformations. In 1998, the city of Vienna purchased a large part of the site, before reselling it in 2021 to a developer for a conversion to housing. Archaeological excavations, conducted since 1998, revealed elements of the choir, nave and cloister, enriching the knowledge of this female monastery.

The door, the only classified element of the site, bears witness to the 17th century religious architecture and the turbulent history of this abbey, marked by monastic reforms, religious conflicts and urban transformations. Recent research, including the construction sites of the University Lyon 2, has documented its evolution, from its medieval origins to its contemporary reuse.

Today, although the cloister and the convent buildings are being renovated for private use, the Gate of the Ambulance Court remains a symbol of Viennese heritage. Its ranking in 1924 and continuing archaeological studies underline its historical importance, linked to nearly twelve centuries of female monastic life in the region.

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