Ancien couvent des Ursulines, ou ancien Grand Séminaire, actuel Palais de Justice

English translation

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History

In 1631, the establishment of the congregation of the Ursulines led, from 1657 onwards, to the building of an architectural complex adapted to the spiritual and pastoral requirements of the order. The buildings, arranged in a regular manner, were accompanied by courtyards and a garden. The church has often been attributed without proof to Jules Hardouin-Mansart. The author is in fact Joseph Lingré, master architect from Nièvre. The façade and the treatment of the interior elevation are classical, with the use of Ionic pilasters and the presence, at the crossing of the transept, of a hemispherical dome. The convent buildings suffered degradation caused by successive reuses. Convent of Ursulines until 1792, grand seminary in the 19th century, the building became a courthouse at the beginning of the 20th century. Works carried out between 1821 and the 1920s affected the roofing, roof structures, floor levels, interior arrangements, crossings, doors and dormers. They also eliminated the cloisters galleries. This architectural complex bears witness to the flourishing of foundations of the Catholic reform in France in the 17th century and more particularly to the success of the new female orders.