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The Hospices de Beaune
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A Palace for the Poor

The Hospices de Beaune or Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune is a former charitable alms-house in Beaune, France. Hospices de Beaune is a hospital foundation from the Middle Ages and is one of France’s most prestigious historic monuments.

A Charitable Organization

It was built in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor of the Duke of Burgundy Philippe le Bon. At the end of the 100, Year War Beaune suffered from misery and famine. More than half of the people who lived in the town had no means of supporting their day to day lives. It was for these poor and the most disadvantaged people that the Chancellor and his wife Guigone de Salins built this hospital. They endowed it with an annual income from the Salins saltworks and with their own resources. The Sisters of Beaune’s Hôtel Dieu cared for several generations of sick people. From 1971 onwards, its medical functions were transferred into a modern hospital, with the exception of an old people’s home.

Unique Monument

Nicolas Rolin was inspired by the most outstanding hôtels-Dieu of Flanders and Paris to build his Palace for the Poor. This hospital is considered to be most unique amongst Burgundian medieval architecture. Its glazed tile roofs have become a characteristic of Burgundy.

A Work of Art

The hospital quickly acquired an excellent reputation not only among the poor but also among the nobility and the bourgeoisie and their donations helped to expand the of the hospital by creating new wards. This also enabled Nicolas Rolin, who was an art enthusiast, to add most admired pieces of art such as polyptych of the Last Judgement ordered from Rogier Van der Weyden. The hospital itself is a work of art with its stunning courtyard, beautiful varnished tile roofs, overhead skylights, the hull-shaped arches of the poor room, the kitchen with its massive Gothic chimneys, the apothecary with its mortar and earthenware pots.

The Great Hall of the Poor

The Great Hall of the Poor was inaugurated on the 31 st December 1451. The sick room has 30 beds (15 on each side). In the centre were long tables and benches for the suffering people to sit and have their meals in pewter dishes, like the lords. The Sisters stored the clothes, sheets and blankets in the large chests. The gothic-inspired furniture was reconstituted during 1872-1878 by Maurice Ouradou.The oak-panelled roof frame has multicolour dragons that spit out the cross beams evoking themonsters of hell. The funny faces of the bourgeoisie are accompanied by the heads of animals thatsymbolize their vices. Floor tiles bear the monochrome of the founding couple as well as the courteous motto of Nicolas to his wife: “Seulle” (My Only). At the entrance to the room, placed above the large doorway, is a remarkable Christ with Bonds dating from the late 15th or early 16th century and carved into an oak barrel by Jan Borman.

Chapel

An integral part of the Great Hall where the residents could attend services. It also symbolizes the perfect symbiosis between the religious and medical aspects of Hôtel-Dieu. It was in this Chapel that the famous altarpiece of the Last Judgement by Rogier Van der Weyden initially took place. The remains of Guigone de Salins are buried under a bronze plaque.

Room Sainte Anne

This room initially included four beds reserved for noble souls. Now, on the back wall hangs a tapestry on a red background with the coat of arms and motto of the founders. These magnificent blankets were placed on the beds of the Great Hall on festive days.

Main Courtyard and Roofs

The main courtyard offers the most famous view of the Hôtel-Dieu. The roof is covered with enameled, multicoloured terracotta tiles. The building’s two wings have two superimposed galleries that sheltered the Sisters from lousy weather while carrying out their deliveries. One is made of wood and terracotta which contrasts with the opposite wing made of stone and slate. The spire rising almost 50m at the entrance is protected by a remarkable canopy. The well in the courtyard is one of the best examples in France for the elegance of Gothic ironwork.

Saint Hugues Room

Nine of the eleven paintings here are of miraculous healings of Christ. The last two are dedicated to Saint Hugues as a bishop and in Carthusian costume. On the ceiling is the miracle of the swimming pool of Bethzaida. The altarpiece shows the benefit of St. Hugh raising two children who died of the plague.

Saint Nicholas Hall

This was used to separate the lightly ill from the infirm and moribund. Now it is the room for the permanent exhibition on the Hôtel-Dieu. An excavation in the ground that is covered with glass allows you to see the Bouzaise River flowing that enabled to carry the waste downstream.

Kitchen

Regaining its original appearance, the kitchen has a large stove and with two hot water taps in the shape of “swan necks”. In the centre is the vast Gothic fireplace with two hearths, lined with the famous original tiles with the motto “Seulle”.

Pharmacy

Hôtel-Dieu had its own apothecary since the beginning. Numerous plants were grown on the premises in the “simple garden” at the back of the pharmacy. In the second room “The Officin” were kept the ointments, oils, pills and syrups.

Polyptych Room

Thousand Flower Tapestry – Evokes the famous “Lady with the Unicorn” of the Museum of Cluny, from the 16th century. Last Judgement – by Rogier Van der Weyden. Represents the Last Judgement, installed on the high altar of the Chapel. The closed altarpiece, the open altarpiece, Panels on the left, panels on the right and bottom of panels have many great artworks.

Salle Saint Louis

The hall was built in 1661 in place of a barn and also served as a winery. This room contains beautiful Gothic and Renaissance chests and a series of tapestries from Brussels from the end of the 16th century. The fountain and the beds are a testimony to this room being dedicated to the sick in the early days.

Wine Auction

Wine has always played an important role both as a medication and as a means of financing the hospital. The end of this room is dedicated to the estate and the Hospices de Beaune Wine Sale which takes place on the 3 rd Sunday in November. Annual production of the estate is sold by auction, and the profits from the sale and the museum contribute to purchasing of hospital equipment and the modernization of the buildings, continuing the work of Nicolas Rolins and Guigone de Salins through the centuries.

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A Palace for the Poor

The Hospices de Beaune or Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune is a former charitable alms-house in Beaune, France. Hospices de Beaune is a hospital foundation from the Middle Ages and is one of France’s most prestigious historic monuments.

A Charitable Organization

It was built in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor of the Duke of Burgundy Philippe le Bon. At the end of the 100, Year War Beaune suffered from misery and famine. More than half of the people who lived in the town had no means of supporting their day to day lives. It was for these poor and the most disadvantaged people that the Chancellor and his wife Guigone de Salins built this hospital. They endowed it with an annual income from the Salins saltworks and with their own resources. The Sisters of Beaune’s Hôtel Dieu cared for several generations of sick people. From 1971 onwards, its medical functions were transferred into a modern hospital, with the exception of an old people’s home.

Unique Monument

Nicolas Rolin was inspired by the most outstanding hôtels-Dieu of Flanders and Paris to build his Palace for the Poor. This hospital is considered to be most unique amongst Burgundian medieval architecture. Its glazed tile roofs have become a characteristic of Burgundy.

A Work of Art

The hospital quickly acquired an excellent reputation not only among the poor but also among the nobility and the bourgeoisie and their donations helped to expand the of the hospital by creating new wards. This also enabled Nicolas Rolin, who was an art enthusiast, to add most admired pieces of art such as polyptych of the Last Judgement ordered from Rogier Van der Weyden. The hospital itself is a work of art with its stunning courtyard, beautiful varnished tile roofs, overhead skylights, the hull-shaped arches of the poor room, the kitchen with its massive Gothic chimneys, the apothecary with its mortar and earthenware pots.

The Great Hall of the Poor

The Great Hall of the Poor was inaugurated on the 31 st December 1451. The sick room has 30 beds (15 on each side). In the centre were long tables and benches for the suffering people to sit and have their meals in pewter dishes, like the lords. The Sisters stored the clothes, sheets and blankets in the large chests. The gothic-inspired furniture was reconstituted during 1872-1878 by Maurice Ouradou.The oak-panelled roof frame has multicolour dragons that spit out the cross beams evoking themonsters of hell. The funny faces of the bourgeoisie are accompanied by the heads of animals thatsymbolize their vices. Floor tiles bear the monochrome of the founding couple as well as the courteous motto of Nicolas to his wife: “Seulle” (My Only). At the entrance to the room, placed above the large doorway, is a remarkable Christ with Bonds dating from the late 15th or early 16th century and carved into an oak barrel by Jan Borman.

Chapel

An integral part of the Great Hall where the residents could attend services. It also symbolizes the perfect symbiosis between the religious and medical aspects of Hôtel-Dieu. It was in this Chapel that the famous altarpiece of the Last Judgement by Rogier Van der Weyden initially took place. The remains of Guigone de Salins are buried under a bronze plaque.

Room Sainte Anne

This room initially included four beds reserved for noble souls. Now, on the back wall hangs a tapestry on a red background with the coat of arms and motto of the founders. These magnificent blankets were placed on the beds of the Great Hall on festive days.

Main Courtyard and Roofs

The main courtyard offers the most famous view of the Hôtel-Dieu. The roof is covered with enameled, multicoloured terracotta tiles. The building’s two wings have two superimposed galleries that sheltered the Sisters from lousy weather while carrying out their deliveries. One is made of wood and terracotta which contrasts with the opposite wing made of stone and slate. The spire rising almost 50m at the entrance is protected by a remarkable canopy. The well in the courtyard is one of the best examples in France for the elegance of Gothic ironwork.

Saint Hugues Room

Nine of the eleven paintings here are of miraculous healings of Christ. The last two are dedicated to Saint Hugues as a bishop and in Carthusian costume. On the ceiling is the miracle of the swimming pool of Bethzaida. The altarpiece shows the benefit of St. Hugh raising two children who died of the plague.

Saint Nicholas Hall

This was used to separate the lightly ill from the infirm and moribund. Now it is the room for the permanent exhibition on the Hôtel-Dieu. An excavation in the ground that is covered with glass allows you to see the Bouzaise River flowing that enabled to carry the waste downstream.

Kitchen

Regaining its original appearance, the kitchen has a large stove and with two hot water taps in the shape of “swan necks”. In the centre is the vast Gothic fireplace with two hearths, lined with the famous original tiles with the motto “Seulle”.

Pharmacy

Hôtel-Dieu had its own apothecary since the beginning. Numerous plants were grown on the premises in the “simple garden” at the back of the pharmacy. In the second room “The Officin” were kept the ointments, oils, pills and syrups.

Polyptych Room

Thousand Flower Tapestry – Evokes the famous “Lady with the Unicorn” of the Museum of Cluny, from the 16th century. Last Judgement – by Rogier Van der Weyden. Represents the Last Judgement, installed on the high altar of the Chapel. The closed altarpiece, the open altarpiece, Panels on the left, panels on the right and bottom of panels have many great artworks.

Salle Saint Louis

The hall was built in 1661 in place of a barn and also served as a winery. This room contains beautiful Gothic and Renaissance chests and a series of tapestries from Brussels from the end of the 16th century. The fountain and the beds are a testimony to this room being dedicated to the sick in the early days.

Wine Auction

Wine has always played an important role both as a medication and as a means of financing the hospital. The end of this room is dedicated to the estate and the Hospices de Beaune Wine Sale which takes place on the 3 rd Sunday in November. Annual production of the estate is sold by auction, and the profits from the sale and the museum contribute to purchasing of hospital equipment and the modernization of the buildings, continuing the work of Nicolas Rolins and Guigone de Salins through the centuries.

Where is it on the Map?

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See more in Can't retrieve term. In case if you changed taxonomy slug for this term, please update widget settings to use new taxonomy slug.
Explore more nearby places in France, Franche Comte/Jura

A Palace for the Poor

The Hospices de Beaune or Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune is a former charitable alms-house in Beaune, France. Hospices de Beaune is a hospital foundation from the Middle Ages and is one of France’s most prestigious historic monuments.

A Charitable Organization

It was built in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor of the Duke of Burgundy Philippe le Bon. At the end of the 100, Year War Beaune suffered from misery and famine. More than half of the people who lived in the town had no means of supporting their day to day lives. It was for these poor and the most disadvantaged people that the Chancellor and his wife Guigone de Salins built this hospital. They endowed it with an annual income from the Salins saltworks and with their own resources. The Sisters of Beaune’s Hôtel Dieu cared for several generations of sick people. From 1971 onwards, its medical functions were transferred into a modern hospital, with the exception of an old people’s home.

Unique Monument

Nicolas Rolin was inspired by the most outstanding hôtels-Dieu of Flanders and Paris to build his Palace for the Poor. This hospital is considered to be most unique amongst Burgundian medieval architecture. Its glazed tile roofs have become a characteristic of Burgundy.

A Work of Art

The hospital quickly acquired an excellent reputation not only among the poor but also among the nobility and the bourgeoisie and their donations helped to expand the of the hospital by creating new wards. This also enabled Nicolas Rolin, who was an art enthusiast, to add most admired pieces of art such as polyptych of the Last Judgement ordered from Rogier Van der Weyden. The hospital itself is a work of art with its stunning courtyard, beautiful varnished tile roofs, overhead skylights, the hull-shaped arches of the poor room, the kitchen with its massive Gothic chimneys, the apothecary with its mortar and earthenware pots.

The Great Hall of the Poor

The Great Hall of the Poor was inaugurated on the 31 st December 1451. The sick room has 30 beds (15 on each side). In the centre were long tables and benches for the suffering people to sit and have their meals in pewter dishes, like the lords. The Sisters stored the clothes, sheets and blankets in the large chests. The gothic-inspired furniture was reconstituted during 1872-1878 by Maurice Ouradou.The oak-panelled roof frame has multicolour dragons that spit out the cross beams evoking themonsters of hell. The funny faces of the bourgeoisie are accompanied by the heads of animals thatsymbolize their vices. Floor tiles bear the monochrome of the founding couple as well as the courteous motto of Nicolas to his wife: “Seulle” (My Only). At the entrance to the room, placed above the large doorway, is a remarkable Christ with Bonds dating from the late 15th or early 16th century and carved into an oak barrel by Jan Borman.

Chapel

An integral part of the Great Hall where the residents could attend services. It also symbolizes the perfect symbiosis between the religious and medical aspects of Hôtel-Dieu. It was in this Chapel that the famous altarpiece of the Last Judgement by Rogier Van der Weyden initially took place. The remains of Guigone de Salins are buried under a bronze plaque.

Room Sainte Anne

This room initially included four beds reserved for noble souls. Now, on the back wall hangs a tapestry on a red background with the coat of arms and motto of the founders. These magnificent blankets were placed on the beds of the Great Hall on festive days.

Main Courtyard and Roofs

The main courtyard offers the most famous view of the Hôtel-Dieu. The roof is covered with enameled, multicoloured terracotta tiles. The building’s two wings have two superimposed galleries that sheltered the Sisters from lousy weather while carrying out their deliveries. One is made of wood and terracotta which contrasts with the opposite wing made of stone and slate. The spire rising almost 50m at the entrance is protected by a remarkable canopy. The well in the courtyard is one of the best examples in France for the elegance of Gothic ironwork.

Saint Hugues Room

Nine of the eleven paintings here are of miraculous healings of Christ. The last two are dedicated to Saint Hugues as a bishop and in Carthusian costume. On the ceiling is the miracle of the swimming pool of Bethzaida. The altarpiece shows the benefit of St. Hugh raising two children who died of the plague.

Saint Nicholas Hall

This was used to separate the lightly ill from the infirm and moribund. Now it is the room for the permanent exhibition on the Hôtel-Dieu. An excavation in the ground that is covered with glass allows you to see the Bouzaise River flowing that enabled to carry the waste downstream.

Kitchen

Regaining its original appearance, the kitchen has a large stove and with two hot water taps in the shape of “swan necks”. In the centre is the vast Gothic fireplace with two hearths, lined with the famous original tiles with the motto “Seulle”.

Pharmacy

Hôtel-Dieu had its own apothecary since the beginning. Numerous plants were grown on the premises in the “simple garden” at the back of the pharmacy. In the second room “The Officin” were kept the ointments, oils, pills and syrups.

Polyptych Room

Thousand Flower Tapestry – Evokes the famous “Lady with the Unicorn” of the Museum of Cluny, from the 16th century. Last Judgement – by Rogier Van der Weyden. Represents the Last Judgement, installed on the high altar of the Chapel. The closed altarpiece, the open altarpiece, Panels on the left, panels on the right and bottom of panels have many great artworks.

Salle Saint Louis

The hall was built in 1661 in place of a barn and also served as a winery. This room contains beautiful Gothic and Renaissance chests and a series of tapestries from Brussels from the end of the 16th century. The fountain and the beds are a testimony to this room being dedicated to the sick in the early days.

Wine Auction

Wine has always played an important role both as a medication and as a means of financing the hospital. The end of this room is dedicated to the estate and the Hospices de Beaune Wine Sale which takes place on the 3 rd Sunday in November. Annual production of the estate is sold by auction, and the profits from the sale and the museum contribute to purchasing of hospital equipment and the modernization of the buildings, continuing the work of Nicolas Rolins and Guigone de Salins through the centuries.

Where is it on the Map?

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