Ancienne chapelle des Soeurs Noires
Monument
Ancienne chapelle des Soeurs Noires, located in Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise (Pas-de-Calais), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 50.3815, 2.3373
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00108425
Discreet but precious, the former chapel of the Black Nuns of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise reveals the sober elegance of 18th-century Artesian classicism, a rare testimony to female religious life in the Pas-de-Calais.
History
Nestling in the heart of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, a small town in the Pas-de-Calais region marked by centuries of religious and military history, the former chapel of the Black Nuns is one of the rare built remains of female convent life in 18th-century Artois. Listed as a historic monument since 1945, it discreetly embodies the architectural rigour of the late classical period, far removed from the pomp and circumstance of Versailles, but imbued with the dignity of a monastery. What really sets this building apart is that it belongs to the world of congregations of women dedicated to the service of the poor and the sick - the "Black Sisters", whose name evokes the colour of their habit, were hospitaller nuns present in many towns in Flanders and Artois from the late Middle Ages onwards. Their chapel, built in the third quarter of the 18th century, reflects the spirit of the late Counter-Reformation: a functional prayer space, austere in its ornamentation but carefully proportioned. To visit this chapel is to enter a space where everyday faith, that of the women of the community who cared, taught and prayed, was crystallised in stone. The building offers the attentive visitor a fine architectural interpretation: a well-ordered façade, a luminous interior that is both contemplative and bright, and sculpted details that bear witness to high-quality local craftsmanship. The setting of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise - a small prefecture crossed by the river Ternoise - adds an extra charm to the visit. The town's varied heritage, ranging from medieval to contemporary, makes this chapel a must-see for anyone wishing to understand the density of the religious fabric in the Artesian region before the French Revolution.
Architecture
The former chapel of the Black Sisters is part of the 18th-century Artesian classicism movement, characterised by restrained ornamentation and a quest for harmonious proportions inherited from the French tradition. The façade, probably laid out according to a classical tripartite plan, features a triangular or arched pediment and a central door framed by pilasters or engaged columns, a typical signature of convent chapels of the period. The materials used are those of traditional Artesian construction: brick, which is ubiquitous in the Hauts-de-France region, combined with quoins and surrounds in the region's white limestone, giving the building a characteristic two-tone appearance. The roof, probably made of slate - the dominant material in the north of France - has a moderate pitch in keeping with the chapel's rectangular layout with a single nave. The interior features the space typical of community chapels: a single nave with no aisles, lit by tall round-headed windows in the eaves walls, providing a bright light that encourages contemplation. The slightly raised choir is separated from the nave by a simple arcade or balustrade. Corinthian or Ionic pilasters punctuate the interior walls, while the stuccoed barrel vault completes the harmony of the whole, in a spirit similar to that of contemporary religious establishments in Arras or Béthune.
Related Figures
Les Sœurs Noires de Saint-Pol — religieuses hospitalières présentes dans la ville depuis le Moyen Âge, fondatrices et gestionnaires de l'établissementLouis XV — sous le règne duquel fut édifiée la chapelle, période de renouveau architectural des congrégations françaisesMaître d'œuvre artésien anonyme — architecte local probable de la chapelle, formé à la tradition classique du nord de la FranceAdministrateurs révolutionnaires du Pas-de-Calais — acteurs de la confiscation des biens conventuels en 1790-1792Inspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (1945) — responsables de la reconnaissance et de la protection officielle de l'édifice
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ancienne chapelle des Soeurs Noires located?
Ancienne chapelle des Soeurs Noires is located in Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, Pas-de-Calais department, Hauts-de-France region, France.
When was Ancienne chapelle des Soeurs Noires built?
Ancienne chapelle des Soeurs Noires dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Ancienne chapelle des Soeurs Noires open to visitors?
Ancienne chapelle des Soeurs Noires is currently closed to visitors.