Couvent des Célestins, Medieval convent in Vichy, France.
The Couvent des Celestins is a former convent in Vichy marked by a rectangular building with a distinctive double-sloped roof typical of 15th-century Bourbon fortified structures. The structure now sits within Celestins Park, positioned between Old Vichy and the Albert Londres university campus.
Duke Louis II of Bourbon founded the monastery in 1402, with construction of the church starting before his death in 1410. The building was part of Bourbon expansion in central France during the late medieval period.
The convent was known for its Holy Thursday ceremony, where thirteen residents acted out the disciples of Christ during a Last Supper reenactment. This tradition made it an important center for religious practices in the region.
The convent sits within Celestins Park and is easily accessible from central Vichy. The grounds are open to the public, allowing visitors to view the building from outside and explore the surrounding parkland.
The building is closely tied to the history of Vichy mineral water, as a spring of this famous water flows directly beneath the historical site. The connection between this convent and the world-known mineral water brand is often overlooked by visitors.
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