The Hospice Comtesse Museum Dive back in time to the Counts and Countesses of Flanders

This ancient hospital, whose origins date back to medieval times, was founded in 1237 within the walls of the palace of Countess Jeanne de Flandre. It housed the sick and wounded, as well as the religious who visited the chapel, still intact today. The Hospice Comtesse is now the city’s art and history museum.

A hospital that has spanned the centuries

In 1237, while Lille was still a Flemish town, Countess Jeanne de Flandre completed the construction of this hospital, which did not cease operations until 1939. The buildings visible today date from the 15th, 17th and 18th centuries, and include a ward, a chapel and the Augustinian sisters’ community buildings, organized around two courtyards and a medicinal garden.

Since 1962, these spaces have been used as a showcase for paintings, tapestries, wood carvings, furniture, earthenware and other objects representative of the region and its development, in the spirit of a charming Flemish-era bourgeois house.

©Paintings of the Countesses of Flanders|Lille Tourisme

Museum of Art and history

Discover Lille’s heritage through galleries of portraits of the Counts of Flanders and the Dukes of Burgundy, among many other paintings. One of them, “La Procession de Lille” by François Watteau, reveals life in Lille under the Ancien Régime.

Admire the superb celestial and terrestrial globes by Vincenzo Coronelli, evoking the enthusiasm for travel and scientific discovery in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Open daily 10 am – 6 pm, except Monday mornings and Tuesdays.
Closed 01/01, 01/05, 14/07, 01/11, 25/12.

32 rue de la Monnaie, Lille
+33 (0)3 28 36 84 00

Give meaning to your moments in Lille

Practical information about the Hospice Comtesse

Step through the doors of this precious vestige of Lille’s origins, and immerse yourself in the days of the Augustinian nuns.

Find out more

Guided tour of Old Lille

Take a guided tour of Vieux-Lille, from the Palais Rihour to Notre-Dame de la Treille Cathedral, and discover the emblematic sites and monuments that have shaped the city and its history.

Visit Old Lille

Book your City Pass

The Hospice Comtesse museum is included in your City Pass. Take advantage of the opportunity to visit the other cultural sites included in the offer! Public transport is included.

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Ideas for exits

The Lille Tourist Office has put together a list of the best places to go and things to do in Lille and the surrounding area. Get ready for a great time!