Hospice Saint-Gilles

Hospice Saint-Gilles is a protected heritage building in Rue Notre-Dame defined by symmetrical windows and a carefully designed stone facade. It combines architectural elements from different periods and contains proportioned spaces that reflect its former use as a care facility.

The structure was built in the early 1700s as a facility to care for poor and sick people in Namur. By 1965 its purpose changed fundamentally when it became the home of the Walloon Parliament.

The building is named after a saint and shapes the streetscape with its classical facade that draws attention from passersby. This architecture reflects a time when such structures anchored the center of city life.

The building sits in the heart of Namur and is visible from the street, though visitors should know it functions as an active government office with restricted access. Viewing the architectural details from outside is the best way to appreciate this protected structure.

Archaeological digs in the early 1990s uncovered remains from between 450 and 575 AD, showing this site has been inhabited for over a thousand years. These ancient layers lie beneath the building we see today and link it to the oldest layers of the city.