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The Sorbonne chapel will soon be restored and is set to reopen to the public!

undefined undefined 29 janvier 2025 undefined 07h30

undefined undefined 31 janvier 2025 undefined 08h52

The Editor

Here’s an event that we’ve all been eagerly waiting for! After being closed for 25 years and only opening its doors occasionally during the European Heritage Days, the chapel of the Sorbonne might soon be accessible to the public again. Just on January 15th, this iconic monument in the 5th was added to the World Monuments Watch 2025 list by the American NGO World Monuments Fund. This substantial support will notably enable the commencement of restoration work for this building, which has been listed as a historical monument since 1887.

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Une publication partagée par Camille (@_camille_chr)


A gem from the 17th century

This is an iconic building on the Left Bank of Paris. Topped by its stunning dome visible from several kilometers away, the Sainte-Ursule chapel of the Sorbonne is a symbol of the Latin Quarter. Built between 1622 and 1642, this structure once served the religious needs of the University of the Sorbonne. Over the centuries, the building has faced many degradations.

It was closed after the violent storm of 1999, before being restored between 2004 and 2008. However, since 2009, the building has been used as a storage space and remains closed to the public for security reasons, as explained by La Croix. On September 21 and 22, the chapel exceptionally reopened its doors for Heritage Days. This weekend was considered "an event" by Karen Taïeb, the deputy mayor of Paris in charge of heritage.


A reopening approac .

View after the work

As emphasized by the City of Paris, thanks to this inscription in the World Monuments Watch 2025, the chapel will be able to be restored on three levels: the choir, the dome, and the organ loft. Additionally, there will be restorations of the various paintings by Louis Charles Timbal, the murals created by Philippe de Champaigne, as well as the tomb of Richelieu by François Girardon. One thing is certain: a magnificent future awaits the Sorbonne chapel!