Chapelle de l'Hospice Comtesse, Medieval chapel and museum in Old Town, Lille, France.
The Chapelle de l'Hospice Comtesse in Lille has a white-plastered facade with a steep dark grey pyramidal roof and a slender spire behind its right side. A yellow-stone arched doorway with a blank panel above it marks the entrance, and a red-brick wing extends to the right. Inside, the painted wooden barrel-vaulted ceiling is divided into brown and gold coffers, with a gilt-framed retable flanked by dark marble columns at the far wall.
The hospice was founded in 1237 by Countess Joan of Flanders and served the city as a hospital for centuries. It was transformed into a museum in the late 20th century, preserving the history of this institution.
The chapel's painted wooden barrel vault, divided into brown and gold coffers on dark ribs, is the feature to look up for. The gilt-framed painted retable panel on the far wall, set between dark marble columns, faces two wall monuments with small statues. The name comes from the adjoining Hospice Comtesse, the hospital founded by Countess Joan of Flanders.
The chapel maintains different opening hours on different days, with Mondays offering afternoon access only. It's best to check the schedule in advance to ensure you can visit when you plan.
The chapel's painted wooden barrel vault, divided into brown and gold coffers on dark ribs, is a feature visitors often walk past without looking up. The adjoining red-brick wing belongs to the former hospice complex founded by Countess Joan of Flanders in 1237.
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