Espace Richaud

In the 17th century, Versailles was booming and Louis XIV endowed the town with a "house of charity" run by the Daughters of Saint-Vincent de Paul. It mainly cared for workers on the building sites of the Château de Versailles and its outbuildings. In 1720, Louis XV made it a royal hospital. To meet the hospital's growing needs, Louis XVI commissioned Versailles architect Charles-François Darnaudin (1741-1793) to undertake a complete reconstruction. It is to him that we owe the current appearance of this architectural jewel. Work on the chapel was suspended during the French Revolution and continued from 1781 to 1859.

Since 22 July 1980, the chapel has been listed as a historic monument in its entirety, along with the façades and roofs of the main buildings.

Following the transfer of hospital activities to Le Chesnay in 1981 and the complete cessation of activities in 1997, the buildings were disused for many years. This neglect led to extensive damage and even destruction caused by three successive fires, the most recent in 2009.

By deciding to restore the Royal Hospital and its historic chapel and open them to the public from 2015, the City of Versailles has chosen to create a prestigious cultural facility.

The Espace Richaud, dedicated to heritage and contemporary art exhibitions, offers a wide range of events: exhibitions, concerts, conferences, shows, etc. Each temporary exhibition has its own specific cultural programme.

Its different spaces, spread over two levels, allow a wide range of combinations in the service of creativity and heritage enhancement. With this in mind, the Espace Richaud is now offering guided tours of the building's history and architecture.