15.5.14

The Blancs-Manteaux Market


My latest post was about the “Blancs Manteaux” (the White Coats) and the remaining church. The name is also used for a close-by covered market, “Le Marché des Blancs-Manteaux”. The building has stood here since 1819.


It occupies an area which used to be a private mansion for a noble family, with the extremely short name O, built during the 16th century for François d’O, a rather scandalous personality, one of King Henry III’s “mignons” (darlings).  During the 17th century it became a religious hospice, until disappearing with the Revolution. Below we can compare a plan from the 18th century with what the area looks like today, close to Rue des Rosiers (see previous post) and the Jewish quarters.


We can also compare the looks of the covered market as it appeared when it was only one year old, in 1820, and today. Crossing the street, Rue des Hospitaliers Saint Gervais (referring to the previous hospice), a separate butchery covered market was later built (pictured in 1852), now transformed to a school building, originally for the Jewish community. There are still some traces to be found, including two bull heads by a sculptor named Edme Gaulle (1762-1841), who among other things also made the funerary monument for Louis XVI and, with a colleague, of Marie Antoinette, at the Saint Denis Basilica (see previous post) and was involved in the decoration of the Arch of Triumph (see previous posts), the Pantheon (see previous post)



The remaining covered market building is since 1992 a city governed space for sports and other social activities (“espace d’animation”), also temporarily used for exhibitions. I went there for an art exhibition by some Swedish artists (now finished).




   

5 comments:

martinealison said...

Bonjour cher Peter,

Aujourd'hui tu me fais apprécier un espace que je ne connaissais absolument pas.
Ce bâtiment aura été utilisé pour de différents événements...
Merci pour ce joli reportage accompagné comme toujours de magnifiques photos.
Gros bisous ♡

martinealison said...

Bonjour cher Peter,

Aujourd'hui tu me fais apprécier un espace que je ne connaissais absolument pas.
Ce bâtiment aura été utilisé pour de différents événements...
Merci pour ce joli reportage accompagné comme toujours de magnifiques photos.
Gros bisous ♡

Alain said...

Histoires d'O ? Il y a une "folie" à Montpellier qui porte le nom de "Chateau d'Ô" mais elle a été construite au 18° siècle, il s'agit probablement d'un Ômonyme.

claude said...

Le nom des Blancs Manteaux me disait quelque chose mais je viens de découvrir deux endroits. Très belle l'Eglise

Jeanie said...

Fascinating. Another spot in my neighborhood when I'm in Paris that I never knew about. Of course, I'm writing it down to remember for next time! Thanks again for the history!