On 29 September, 1859, the Imperial Asylum at le Vésinet was inaugurated (5000 places). It is by the decree of 8 March, 1855 that Napoleon III ordered the construction of two asylums of convalescence, one at Vincennes [which opened 31 August, 1857, Letter No. 42] and the other in the forest of Le Vésinet far from urban centers where the air did not meet the requirements of the new hygiene and humanitarian ideas. Under the patronage of the Empress Eugenie, this asylum was intended, during this period of intense industrialization, for convalescing workers residing in the departement of Seine. From its inauguration in 1866, nearly 27,000 workers were welcomed. This building, which became a historical monument in 1997, now houses the Vésinet hospital.
Description:
The Vésinet Asylum is one of the most characteristic buildings of the Second Empire and one of the first buildings to bear the mark of Napoleon III.
A large courtyard, surrounded by square pavilions, overlooks the central u-shaped main building. Two wings at 90° to the front of the building and two more extending the rear facade complete the structure. They are connected by a network of galleries. Various other buildings are spread throughout the park. Between 1866 and 1869, two wings drawn by Eugène Lacroix were added on the rear facade.
Imperial Asylum at le Vesinet (actual Vesinet hospital)
