Following the terrible plague epidemics that devastated Paris in 1605 and 1606, King Henri IV decided to build a hospital outside the city to house contagious patients and keep them away from the capital. Named Saint-Louis in tribute to the king, the first stone was laid in July 1607.
To avoid any contact with the surrounding population, the hospital and its square courtyard were surrounded by gardens and walls. Today, behind this former courtyard lies its most beautiful remaining feature, built at the request of King Henri IV: the garden of Hôpital Saint-Louis.
The slate roofs and façades combining red brick and dressed stone recall one of Henri IV’s major achievements: Place des Vosges. Indeed, the architect of Hôpital Saint-Louis, Claude Vellefaux, also contributed to the design of this royal square.
Leave a Reply