Saint-Louis de la Salpêtrière, 17th-century chapel in Quartier de la Salpêtrière, France
Saint-Louis de la Salpêtrière is a classical chapel built on a Greek-cross plan, with four chapels and four naves (main nave, Lassay, coupée and Mazarin) linked to a central space under an octagonal dome topped by a lantern. The pale ashlar interior has a high pointed vault with dark red brick infill between stone ribs, and a large semicircular arch opens toward the eastern section.
King Louis XIV commissioned architect Louis Le Vau in 1669 to design this chapel as part of a general hospital that housed thousands of Paris residents. The building became the central prayer space for the large population living and working within the hospital complex.
The four arms of the Greek cross are named chapels: Saint-Vincent, du Bon-Pasteur, de la Vierge and Sainte-Geneviève, and the four naves are the main nave, Lassay, coupée and Mazarin. Each arm held a separate category of the hospital's poor during services, so groups were gathered without being mixed. Today the chapel again hosts worship and also exhibitions and concerts.
The chapel is open daily from 9:30 am to 6 pm. Mass is held Monday to Saturday at 3 pm and Sunday at 9:30 am. It is an active place of worship that also hosts exhibitions and concerts, so access may be adjusted during events.
The four arms are named naves: the main nave, the Lassay nave, the cut nave and the Mazarin nave, each opening onto the central octagonal dome. The four corner chapels bear the names Saint-Vincent, Bon-Pasteur, Vierge and Sainte-Geneviève. The dome's eight windows were glazed in clear glass to bring more light into the centre.
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