Hôpital Sainte-Marthe d'Avignon

Hôpital Sainte-Marthe is a hospital complex in central Avignon built across the 17th and 18th centuries, featuring a monumental facade and an integrated chapel. The buildings display the architectural layout typical of hospitals from that period, with spaces designed for patient care and medical work.

Founded in 1353 by jurist Bernard Rascas and given to the Trinitarian order, the institution grew to become Avignon's main hospital by the 15th century. Religious management shaped its role and importance in the city for centuries afterward.

The chapel served as a pharmacy starting in 1756, showing how healing and faith were intertwined in medieval medical practice. Today visitors can sense how spiritual care and treatment coexisted within these walls.

The complex sits in the historic center on Rue Louis Pasteur and now belongs to Avignon University as part of its campus. Visitors should know this is an active academic site, so access to certain areas may be restricted during the day.

The grand staircase and vestibule received separate protection designations between 1927 and 1988, highlighting their special architectural importance within the complex. These multiple registrations show how certain interior spaces were recognized over time as culturally significant.