Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France

Saint-Paul de Mausole is a former monastery in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Several rooms of the building have been converted into a museum to Vincent van Gogh, who stayed there in 1889–1890 at a time when the monastery had been converted to an asylum.

The monastery was built in the 11th century. Franciscan monks established a psychiatric asylum there in 1605.

In the aftermath of the 23 December 1888 breakdown that resulted in the self-mutilation of his left ear, Vincent van Gogh voluntarily admitted himself to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole lunatic asylum on 8 May 1889. Housed in a former monastery, Saint-Paul-de-Mausole catered to the wealthy and was less than half full when Van Gogh arrived, allowing him to occupy not only a second-story bedroom but also a ground-floor room for use as a painting studio.

References:

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 11th century
Category: Religious sites in France
Historical period: Birth of Capetian dynasty (France)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Tingyi Lee (6 months ago)
Must-visit spot for Van Gogh’s fans! You can see the environment where Van Gogh lived, his doctor’s office, the patient rooms, bathrooms, and various exhibits related to psychiatry. The garden view is excellent, and from the staircase, there is a scene that Van Gogh was very fond of, which he painted 14 times.
Hana Justin (7 months ago)
It is small place. But with all the charm and vibes. We were lucky to see it almost empty and with the low light of september sun you feel like you are blending into Van Gogh's painting. Special place and beautiful surrounding also
Ioannis Dalas (7 months ago)
What an amazing place. We were astounded by the plethora of different kind of beauty in this monastery. It has a lot of things to like. The environment (depending on when you are visiting) is beautiful. The atmosphere in general gives some peaceful vibes. We relaxed just sitting there thinking of the past and what happened there when Van Gogh was living in the monastery. Incredible and mesmerizing place.
Craig Gundry (8 months ago)
If you are a lover of Van Gogh and his work then this place is a must to visit . 8 euros entry for adults 6 euros for teens and under 11s are free . Steeped in history and Van Gogh . You are able to freely walk around and enter Vincent's bedroom . Stand in the places that inspired many of his finest works in the Asylum. The gardens are beautiful . About 1 hour here is plenty There is a gift shop but no refreshments ,for that there are shops in Saint Remy just a few minutes down the road .
Robert (9 months ago)
A wonderful place to visit and to understand better Vincent van Gogh’s art. Vincent was forced to be a patient here for over a year, and was inspired by the landscapes at the asylum, a large complex that was formerly a monastery. Still a patient facility today, though not in the same buildings!
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Rosenborg Castle

Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.

The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.

Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.