Hôpital de Rivières, Former hospital in Rivières, France
The hôpital de Rivières is an early 18th-century building with two wings enclosing a central courtyard. The main entrance features decorative pilasters and curved cornices, with wrought iron gates marking the courtyard boundaries.
Architect Guillaume Rollin designed the building between 1714 and 1717, starting with the chapel wing as the first phase. Additional construction followed to expand the facility over subsequent years.
The building shows how rural communities organized medical care during the early 1700s. It reflects the way people valued both healing and spiritual care in one place.
The building has stood unused since 1962 and was registered as a historical monument in 2009. Visitors should be aware that it requires substantial restoration and can only be viewed from the outside.
A hidden passage connects the original residence to rooms facing the garden. This secret route allowed patients and nuns to attend chapel services without using the main entrance.
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