Saint-Omer, ville d'art et d'histoire...
The Street Saint-Bertin
In VIIe century, it is a path connecting the Saint-Bertin abbey to his cemetery on the Sithiu mount. In IXe century, the path becomes more significant, serving the abbey and the collegial one. It is a processional way. Called since XIIe century street Saint-Bertin, it receives during the Revolution the street names of the Equality for the high part and street of Convention for the low part.
In its high part, on a small formerly called place place of the Beautiful Cross, is the fountain of the Child to the Swan raised about 1860. With proximity is located the native house of Joseph-Bienaimé Caventou, (Saint-Omer 1795 - Paris 1877). Pharmacist it discovers with Pelletier quinine in 1820.
With the n°31 is the garden of the hotel of Noircarme which one can admire the beautiful frontage decorated with masks street to the Wind.
Street bordered of beautiful austere and majestic houses of XVIe in XVIIIe century: n°20, Hotel of Berghes, n°41 Hotel of Lens and of Blendecques (current Under-Prefecture), n°39 house of Alphonse of Neuville painter military of XIXe century, n°35 a interesting house Gothic of XVIe century with arc in accodance level.
N° 51, Saint-Bertin college. In 1561, the bishop Gerard d' Haméricourt melts a school of the stock-brokers of Saint-Bertin, the pupils are called the " White Sleeves ". 1813, the Joyez abbot creates a school for seminarists which is established on part of the convent of Récollets. In 1835, it loses its title of " seminar " to become " Saint-Bertin boarding school ". It is in 1849 that the university grants the full exercise and the title of Saint-Bertin college to him. Significant red brick building, principal body with two wings in return, bays joined together by planks of arches, brick decoration. Verticality indicating a reference to England. N°81, to see the picturesque dead end of the Chain.