The forecourt
The Faculty of Medicine of Montpellier, the oldest faculty in the world: a preserved heritage
Founded on August 17, 1220, the Faculty of Medicine of Montpellier is the oldest in the world.
Montpellier is the only one to have remained active throughout the turbulent period of the French Revolution. At that time, while all universities in France were closed between 1792 and 1794, the Faculty of Medicine in Montpellier managed to continue its activities thanks to the support of the municipality, which replaced royal funding.
The faculty's archives still hold the statutes of 1220, proving the age and continuity of this institution. These statutes, drafted under the aegis of Pope Honorius III, guarantee students and teachers a solid legal framework, a precursor to what would later become the modern university system.
The statues of Barthez and Lapeyronie: symbols of medicine and surgery in Montpellier
Built in 1742 along with the bridge, the entrance has been flanked since 1864 by statues representing emblematic figures of the faculty. The surgeon Lapeyronie is depicted with his tools at his feet. He was the co-founder of the Royal Academy of Surgery, which he presided over asthe first surgeon to King Louis XV, with whom he worked to definitively separate the profession of barber from that of surgeon, thereby elevating surgeons to academic status, like doctors. Upon his death, he left a bequest to finance the Royal College of Surgery in Montpellier, the Hôtel Saint Côme, modeled on its Parisian counterpart. To his right is Barthez, a physician and philosopher of the Enlightenment, theorist of the vitalist doctrine, considered "neo-Hippocratic," linking ancient Greek medicine with the modern sciences emerging inthe 18th century. Lapeyronie and Barthez represent the alliance of practice and theory, the foundations of medicine.
Also noteworthy are the Hippocratic symbols: the staff of Asclepius (Aesculapius to the Romans) above the door, attribute of the god of medicine, a staff entwined by a snake, symbols of longevity and wisdom.
Defensive architecture and medieval university life
The Faculty building, originally built for students, has the silhouette of a fortress due to the context of the 14th century. At the time, the region was ravaged by the conflicts of the Hundred Years' War and the constant threat of mercenary companies. This context explains why the building was constructed against the city walls. In 1850, the building was enlarged with the addition of a new wing for the anatomy conservatory. This wing was built on the site of the old ramparts, which were destroyed during the siege of Louis XIII in 1622. All that remains is the tower of the pines, perfectly aligned with the wing of the anatomy conservatory.
These defensive elements, such as machicolations (defensive elements at the top of the walls), have been preserved or reproduced to highlight the military nature of the site. However, the machicolations on the conservatory are purely decorative, unlike those on the Tour des Pins.
The sundial and Hippocrates' inscription: a reflection on time and the art of medicine
Near the statues of Barthez and Lapeyronie is a sundial bearing an inscription in ancient Greek, a famous quote from Hippocrates: H TEXNH MAKPH (Ê teknê makrê) "The art is long," part of Hippocrates' first aphorism (The art is long, life is short, opportunity fleeting, experience deceptive, and judgment difficult.) This phrase refers to the difficulty and length of medical training, a profession where learning continues throughout one's life.
The sundial is not only a symbol of the relationship to time in the practice of medicine, but also a reminder of the importance of continuing education. Even today, continuing medical education is a principle enshrined in the code of ethics, requiring physicians to continue their training throughout their careers.
This idea is central to the Montpellier tradition: one never stops learning in medicine. The sundial, with its inscription, serves as a reminder to students and practitioners that this is a lifelong commitment. This perspective is also reflected in the Montpellier tradition of the Faluche, where students choose not to bury their faluche at the end of their studies, symbolizing the infinite nature of medical learning.
