Couvent des Calvairiennes de Saint-Cyr

English translation

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History

The convent would occupy the site of a monastery destroyed by the Normans in the 10th century. It was at that time part of the episcopal domain and was given in 1032 by the bishop of Rennes to his half-brother, who ceded it in 1037 to the abbey of Saint-Julien de Tours along with the entire territory called l'Ile; its prior eventually became lord of the whole of the bourg Saint-Cyr. The priory fell into commendum around the 15th century, and was abandoned by the monks; its lodgings were ceded in 1633 to the Calvarian nuns, who had established a provisional hospice in the rue Saint-Michel. The Calvarian nuns then rebuilt the convent. They adopted Jansenist doctrines in the 18th century, and the king transferred in 1746 a number of them to other monasteries. In 1792, the buildings were used for various military services. The 17th-century constructions surrounded a square courtyard. Only two buildings have been preserved; they are topped by high roofs pierced by windows with triangular pediments; a small square pavilion stands in front of their salient corner. Three sides of the cloister still exist; they consist of round-arch arcades supported by square pillars. After the Second World War and the bombardments, the chapel was rebuilt on the north side of the cloister.