Hospices de Beaune

The place

The Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune, the historic heart of the Hospices de Beaune, is an old charity hospital founded in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, chancellor of the Duchy of Burgundy, and his wife Guigone de Salins, to welcome and care for the most destitute. Built in a flamboyant Gothic style with Flemish inspiration, it is globally recognizable for its roofs made of polychrome glazed tiles with geometric patterns, which have become a symbol of Burgundy's heritage. Its large 'pôvres' hall, lined with canopied beds arranged under a frame resembling a ship's hull, illustrates its hospital function, which it maintained until 1971. Converted into a museum, it notably houses the famous polyptych of the Last Judgment by Rogier van der Weyden. The institution remains associated with the auction of the wines of the Hospices de Beaune, one of the oldest and most renowned in the world, held annually for the benefit of its charitable works. The whole complex is classified as a historic monument and also includes a vineyard.