Jesuit Chapel

You are in front of the Jesuit Chapel, at 17 Grand’Rue. It belonged to the college that the Society of Jesus ran here. The church was begun in 1673 and completed in 1678, to the plans of a member of the order, Father Mathieu de Mourgues. Its plan is original: it combines the single-nave church with the centralised plan. The nave is short, the transept very wide, and the choir ends in a three-sided apse. Above, several domes are pierced with lanterns that let the light pour down. Along the walls, galleries are lined with wrought-iron railings. In the eighteenth century, the Jesuits were expelled from France, in 1762, and the Society was dissolved by the Pope in 1773: the college closed. The buildings were then put to other uses, including the municipal library. Today the former college houses the Natural History Museum, and the chapel, restored in 1985, hosts exhibitions and concerts. It has been listed as a historic monument since 23 July 1973. If it is open, go in and look up at the domes.

History

The chapel belonged to the former Jesuit college of Nîmes, whose buildings stretch between the Grand’Rue and boulevard Amiral-Courbet. Members of the Society of Jesus taught there. The church was begun in 1673 and finished in 1678 to the plans of Father Mathieu de Mourgues. It is dedicated to Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the order.

In 1762 the Jesuits were expelled from France, and in 1773 the Pope dissolved the Society. The college closed and the chapel lost its religious function. Among other uses, it served as the municipal library. Restored in 1985, it has become a venue for exhibitions and concerts. It was listed as a historic monument on 23 July 1973, and the rest of the college buildings, with the Jules-Salles gallery, were added to the register on 14 January 1999.

Art and architecture

The plan is a synthesis of two models: the single-nave church and the centrally planned building. The nave is shortened, the transept is very wide and the choir ends in a three-sided apse. Galleries with wrought-iron railings run along the walls. Several domes, each with a central lantern, cover the space. The whole blends the classical orders with Baroque effects, with decoration recalling the city’s Roman monuments.

Anecdotes

Over the centuries, the same complex has housed a religious college, a library, archaeological collections and today the Natural History Museum. The chapel itself is no longer used for worship: owned by the city, it serves as an exhibition hall. In 2022, the association Courant d’art celebrated its 30th anniversary there with an exhibition, a sign of its current role in the cultural life of Nîmes.

What to look for

From the Grand’Rue, look at the façade and its proportions. Inside, if the chapel is open, stand at the crossing: you can then gauge the width of the transept compared with the short nave. Look up at the domes and their lanterns, then at the galleries and the design of their wrought-iron railings. At the far end, spot the three sides of the apse.

Practical

The chapel is at 17 Grand’Rue, in the Écusson, a few minutes’ walk from the Maison Carrée and the cathedral. It is only open during exhibitions and cultural events: check the programme on nimes.fr before you come. At other times, the façade can be viewed from the street. The entrance to the Natural History Museum, in the same complex, is on boulevard Amiral-Courbet.

Nearby

The Museum of Natural History and Prehistory occupies another part of the former college, at 13 boulevard Amiral-Courbet: you can combine the two visits. The Cathedral of Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Castor and the Musée du Vieux Nîmes are a few streets to the west, and the church of Saint-Baudile is a few minutes’ walk away, on the place Gabriel-Péri.

Test yourself

Sources

• POP Mérimée: Former Jesuit college (PA00103094)
• Journées européennes du patrimoine : Chapelle des Jésuites
• Objectif Gard: Courant d’art celebrates 30 years
• Nîmes Tourisme: Natural History Museum

Information checked on 6 October 2026.