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Origin and history

The former hospital of Châtillon-sur-Saône is a town house dating from the beginning of the sixteenth century, located in this village of south-west Vosges, in the Grand East region. Ranked a historic monument since 1984, it illustrates the Renaissance's Lorrain civil architecture, marked by flamboyant Gothic elements. Its history is linked to the reconstruction of the city after the destruction of the late 15th century, under the impulse of Duke Antoine de Lorraine.

The oral tradition attributes to this building a hospital function, although no source written before the 18th century confirms this. A dendrochronological study of 2023 reveals three phases of construction: late 13th century (reuse of materials), first half 16th century (main period), and mid 18th century (renovations). The house, probably commissioned by Jean de Sandrecourt, is active until 1515, distinguished by its carved facade and stone screw staircase.

Châtillon-sur-Saône, a strategic border town between Lorraine, Franche-Comté and Champagne, was ravaged several times, notably in 1476 by Charles le Témeraire and in 1635 during the Thirty Years War. The former hospital, spared by revolutionary nationalizations, became a school (boys in 1838, girls from 1878 to 1927). Its 19th century restoration, led by architect Abel Pierre Mathey, preserved its medieval and renaissant characteristics.

The building, a communal property until 2021, combines defensive elements (near the ramparts) and residential elements (cuisine vaulted, fireplaces of the eighteenth century). Its rectangular plan (9x14 m) and its position between the Porte Saint-Michel and Place d'Armes reflect the town planning of the 16th century. Despite the sieges and epidemics, it bears witness to the resilience of Châtillon, which rose from 1,000 inhabitants before 1635 to a handful of families in 1654.

The attribution of its construction to Jean de Sandrecourt remains hypothetical, but its high social status is suggested by the size of the housing and its prestigious location. The neighbouring ramparts, partially built in the 14th century, and the classified "big tower" complete this heritage. Today, the former hospital embodies both the golden age of Châtillon (16th century) and the successive reconstructions that shaped its identity.

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