Main Courtyard
Look around you—the walls have a story to tell! The main courtyard bears the marks of the site’s architectural evolution, which is intertwined with its history:
- the Hundred Years' War and the construction of the Saint-Benoît-Saint-Germain monastery-college by Pope Urban V, who inaugurated it in 1367 to bring students back to Montpellier (look for its14th-century remains: narrow windows adorned with "trefoil" arches and traces of the former cloister)
- the Renaissance, during which the church was elevated to the status of a cathedral when the bishop took possession of the building in 1536
- the Wars of Religion between Catholics and Protestants, which reduced the bishopric and the cathedral to ruins in 1567
- the 17th and18th centuries, when the bishops rebuilt a sumptuous episcopal palace (note the new Italian-style windows—those large rectangular windows that create a contrast in height with the medieval openings; note even the differences in the roofing in some places, such as on the wall of the Urbain V tower between the cathedral and the chapter house)
- the Revolution, which established the medical school there in 1795, along with its “new” neo-classical amphitheater (a tribute to Hippocrates?)
- until the end of the19th century, as exemplified by the nave and rose window of the cathedral: built in the Neo-Gothic style, they were completed in 1875!
The various architectural styles reflect the nearly seven centuries of history of this building, one of the oldest surviving university buildings in Europe.
Learn more
St. Peter's Cathedral: A University Chapel Turned Fortress
The university building is closely linked to Saint-Pierre Cathedral, since the original church (Saint-Benoît Church) was built at the same time as the monastic college and was incorporated into a cohesive complex. Originally a university church (students protected by the work of Urban V in Montpellier, including medical students, were required to attend daily services), it became the cathedral of Montpellier when the bishopric was transferred there in the early16th century.
During the Wars of Religion, the cathedral suffered heavy damage. Protestants looted and ransacked it, leaving it in ruins for nearly a century. It was not until the17th century that the bishops undertook its reconstruction, adding architectural elements such as new windows and stories.
Today, the cathedral retains its imposing character with its original monumental portal, suggesting that Urban V wished to leave behind a significant work. This portal, although it has no real defensive function, adds to the building’s impressive aura.
Fun facts
Choretto / Cloister Gallery
Its four medieval windows are inspired by the remains of the old cloister that once surrounded Saint Benoît College on two levels. Dissections were performed there when the Faculty was established during the Revolution, before it was reassigned to the cathedral in 1823!
Explore the six architectural periods spanning six centuries
- Southern Gothic style: the courtyard walls and the narrow windows topped with a three-lobed arch date from the14th century, as do the oldest part of the cathedral (Saint-Benoît Church, then the abbey church of the Saint-Benoît-Saint-Germain College) and its four square towers, one of which, the Urbain V tower, adjacent to the Faculty’s lecture hall, remained intact after the Protestant siege of 1567. Above the roof of the lecture hall, which was rebuilt starting inthe 17th century, one can see, when standing on the exterior steps of the theatrum anatomicum, alcoves corresponding to the former student rooms (the wing of the building located on Rue de l’École de Médecine was dedicated to students when it served as a college).
- Neo-Gothic style: the cathedral’s nave and rose window were built between 1855 and 1875! Note the variation in the color of the stones. The tiles are rather out of place for southern France, as their glazed finish is more typical of the architecture of the Hospices de Beaune!
- Neoclassical style: the Theatrum Anatomicum, begun in 1802 and inaugurated in 1806—one could easily imagine that it pays homage to ancient Greek medicine!
- Classic style: the large rectangular Italian-style windows were cut into the walls inthe 17th and 18th centuries, when the bishops restored the building, which had been severely damaged during the Wars of Religion. One notices the sense of openness and light compared to the medieval windows, some of which remain on different levels, which also helps to understand the modifications made on the various floor levels.
- Recent additions include the grand staircase of honor, built in the second half ofthe 19th century, and a newer section constructed between the late19th and early20th centuries at the left corner of the theatrum, where it meets the building’s west wing. This section houses the laboratories of a brand-new medical discipline that was emerging at the time: histology (the study of tissues, along with its pathological counterpart: pathological anatomy, or “anapath”)
The Transformation After the Revolution: From College to School of Medicine
After the French Revolution, the building underwent a major transformation. In 1795, with the confiscation of Church property, the former college was assigned to the new School of Health founded in 1794 (which served as a bridge between the former medical university and the future faculty of medicine). This transfer was symbolic, as it marked a return to the site’s original academic purpose: that of a college. Nevertheless, since the Bishop was the supreme head of the universities—in a sense equivalent to today’s university president (hierarchically above university chancellors and deans)—the bishop’s residence could be considered somewhat like a university administration today! It was thus formally visited by the university community throughout the academic year.
The renowned chemist and politician Jean-Antoine Chaptal, who played a key role in the reorganization of institutions under Bonaparte, facilitated this transformation. Chaptal was also the driving force behind numerous industrial and educational reforms. His portrait hangs in the Salle des Actes, and his bust is displayed in the center beneath the pronaos of the theatrum.
