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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The chapel of the Annonciades of Pontarlier was built in the early seventeenth century to house the heavenly annunciades, a contemplative order feminine according to the rule of St Augustine. Arrived in 1612, these nuns founded several convents in the region. The building of the convent began that same year under the direction of Antoine Belin, while the chapel and its portal were completed by Nicolas Cailler between 1713 and 1715. The carved vantals, made by Joseph Guyon in 1725, complete this architectural ensemble.

The order of the annunciades was dissolved during the revolutionary laws of 1790, leading to the abandonment of the convent. The chapel, the only remaining vestige, was desecrated in the 1920s and turned into an exhibition hall. It enjoys double protection for historical monuments: the portal and its vantals were classified in 1913, while the rest of the chapel was inscribed in 1936.

Located at 69 rue de la République, in the centre of Pontarlier, the chapel is distinguished by its three-span nave, decorated with ionic pilasters. Its architecture reflects the stylistic influences of the 17th and 18th centuries, mixing conventual sobriety and Baroque ornaments. Owned by the commune, it remains a testimony of the religious and heritage history of Franche-Comté.

The heavenly annunciades, recognizable by their sky blue scapular, led a life of prayer and contemplation. Their expulsion in 1790 marked the end of their presence in the region, although their architectural heritage persisted through this chapel, now dedicated to cultural uses.

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