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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Guingamp Town Hall occupies the buildings of a former monastery built in the 18th century to house the nuns hospitallers, arrived in 1676. These sisters, members of the Augustine congregation of Jesus ' Mercy, provided care until 1944. The building served first as a hospital, then as a prison during the Revolution, while its chapel became a stable. The buildings, falling into ruins, were partially rebuilt in the early 19th century to accommodate a new hospice.

In 1803 the convent was restored to the nuns, but the deterioration of the rooms of the sick led to the building of a new hospice. Guingamp then bought the old monastery in 1914 to set up the town hall. The gardens were then converted into a public space, marking its definitive transformation into an administrative and civic place. Ranked Historic Monument by decree of 12 October 1913, the building retains remarkable elements such as the chapel, cloister and wing buildings.

The history of this monument is closely linked to that of Guingamp, a city marked by its religious heritage and its role in the Breton revolts, such as the Révolte des Bonnets Rouges in 1675. Three rioters were hanged there, illustrating the social tensions of the time. The convent, then the town hall, symbolizes both Christian charity and the political changes of Brittany, from the Old Regime to the Republic.

Architecturally, the site reflects 18th-century styles, with Baroque and classical influences unique to the religious buildings of the period. Its ranking among the Historical Monuments underscores its heritage importance, both for its history and for its current role in the heart of municipal life. The archives also mention his occupation by the Augustine Sisters until 2020, when the last nuns left the city.

Today, the Guingamp City Hall embodies the continuity between the hospital and religious past of the city and its modern administrative vocation. Its central location, on the Champ-au-Roy Square, makes it a major landmark for residents and visitors, while recalling the legacy of the congregations that marked its history.

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