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Origin and history

The Tuani convent, located in Costa, Corsica, was founded in 1494 by Franciscans. In 1639 he was assigned to the Recollets, a reformed branch of the Franciscan order. At that time, the convent already included a church and buildings organized around a central patio, reflecting 17th century monastic architecture. The spaces were divided between the commons on the ground floor (kitchen, refectory, infirmary) and the cells of the monks upstairs, accessible by passageways overlooking the cloister.

At the end of the 18th century, the building fell into ruins, before being restored and enlarged in the 19th century, notably by the addition of side chapels with large retables. The church, baroque style, is distinguished by its facade with superimposed orders, rhythmic by pilasters and crowned with a wavy pediment. Its absidial bell tower, on four levels bounded by cornices, is surmounted by a small dome, while the interior has a central vessel flanked by low-sides. These transformations illustrate the evolution of liturgical and community needs between the 17th and 19th centuries.

Conventual buildings, preserved in their original layout, bear witness to the monastic life of the period. Their arrangement around a central patio, typical of Mediterranean convents, favoured both isolation and collective life. The ensemble, partially protected since 1978 (chapel, facades and roofs), today embodies a major religious and architectural heritage of the Haute-Corse, mixing medieval heritage and modern adaptations.

The location of the convent, in the village of Costa, reflects its historical role as a place of spirituality and gathering for local people. Its architecture, marked by Tuscan and Genoese influences, is part of the Corsican cultural landscape, where begging orders played a key role in evangelization and social supervision from the Middle Ages. The presence of retables and an imposing bell tower also underlines its importance as a centre of devotion and community life.

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