Hôtel-Dieu de Baugé, hospital in France
The Hôtel-Dieu de Baugé is a former hospital building dating to the 1600s with interconnected rooms that once served patients and the religious community. It contains an apothecary with more than 650 ceramic and glass containers, a ward with wooden beds, a baroque chapel, a kitchen, and living quarters for the sisters.
Construction began in 1643 and the hospital opened in 1650, founded through the vision of Marthe de la Beausse and funded by the princess Anne de Melun. The building operated as a working hospital for over 350 years until 2001, serving the local community through centuries of medical practice.
The Hôtel-Dieu de Baugé reflects how religious communities shaped care for the sick through their daily work and spiritual practice. The chapel and living quarters show how faith and healing were woven together in the minds of those who worked here.
A typical visit lasts about one hour, with guided tours available most days that help explain the objects and spaces throughout the building. Check opening hours before your visit as they vary by season, and the entrance fee is modest and accessible to most visitors.
The apothecary holds strange medicinal substances like dragon's blood and powder made from insects, revealing how different medicine once was. These preserved collections show visitors how foreign the healing practices of earlier times seem from a modern perspective.
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