André-Bouron hospital, hospital in France
The André-Bouron hospital is a protected historical building in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, French Guiana, constructed between 1906 and 1912 with multiple pavilion-style structures arranged around a central axis. Built of brick and wood, it originally accommodated ten separate pavilions with two sections for civilian patients and eight for prisoners.
The hospital originated after prisoners arrived in 1858 and grew from a small clinic in the 1870s into a major facility with around 400 beds by 1912, making it the largest hospital in the French colonies. Following the closure of the penal colony in 1946, it transitioned to a public hospital serving the region with modernized services until it closed in 2018.
The hospital reflects the divided history of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, originally founded to serve both prisoners and local residents in separate sections. This dual-purpose structure shaped how the city remembers its past and reveals how buildings expressed the social divisions of the colonial era.
The building is no longer operational as a hospital and is accessible only through organized visits as a protected historical monument. Access remains limited due to ongoing restoration plans and the condition of certain structures, so it is best to inquire locally about visit possibilities.
With about 400 beds by 1912, the hospital was the largest in all French colonies and simultaneously treated civilians and convicts in strictly separated sections. This dual function made it a unique medical institution reflecting the complex realities of the colonial system.
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