Ancien hôpital de Colmar, Historical hospital from 1736 in Colmar, France.
The Ancien hôpital de Colmar is a former hospital building from 1736 characterized by 25 window axes across three floors, with carved stonework adorning the ground level. Today it houses the municipal media library following comprehensive renovation work.
The building started as a Franciscan monastery and became a hospital in 1543, before a fire destroyed it in 1735 and architect Luppe Danclo rebuilt it afterward. The new structure rose on the foundations of the earlier complex.
The Louis XV architectural style on the facades shows how French rule shaped public buildings in 18th-century Alsace. The proportions and details reflect the tastes of that period.
The building is now a public space since it functions as the city's media library and is accessible during its opening hours. It sits conveniently in Colmar's town center, not far from other historical sites in the area.
Before the French Revolution, the hospital kept breeding animals for residents, an unusual role for a medical facility. This practice was part of the supply function these institutions served at that time.
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