Saint-Omer, ville d'art et d'histoire...
Les Monuments - Aéroclub de Saint-Omer - L'USSO
		The General Hospital Impressive architecture frontage on street with its twenty-and-a stressed spans of colossal pilasters, summoned composite capitals. Started in 1702, it accepted its frontage on street of 1750 to 1767. Composed inside four buildings (oldest are those of the right wing and the bottom). Happy composition of noble and simple frontages (pediments, armorial bearings, tables and windows with balustrade) carrying the mark of its bishops builders. The external gate is surmounted by a pediment: large low-relief carved by Baligand, presenting the weapons of the VALBELLE, under the ducal crown and the episcopal Cap. The female figures seem to symbolize temperance and fortune. The whole followed by a Latin inscription whose translation is the following one: Ier founded this work (Louis-Alphonse of VALBELLE - 1640 - 1708) 2nd largely equipped (François of VALBELLE its cousin - Bishop of Saint-Omer - 1708 - 1727) 3rd dealt with construction (Joseph-Alphonse of VALBELLE, the nephew of the precedent - Bishop of St Omer - 1727 - 1754). And maintaining a same residence joins together them. History Built in 1702 at the request of Mgr Louis of VALBELLE and with the authorization of the king Louis XIV, it was intended to accomodate the orphans and the children of the poor families with which one learned a trade. During its construction was amménagé, on the street of the Blacksmiths (currently street Victor Luc) a " turn " in which one deposited the children anonymously that one wanted to give up. They were collected and raised in the General Hospital. It still functioned at the beginning of XXe century. TheSaint-Louis Hospital having been bombarded in 1943, found refuge in these buildings before being transferred to Helfaut.