Hôtel-Dieu de Québec facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hôtel-Dieu de Québec (Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec) |
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The main entrance of the Hôtel-Dieu hospital
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| Geography | |
| Location | 11, côte du Palais Quebec City, Quebec G1R 2J6 |
| Coordinates | 46°48′54.76″N 71°12′38.26″W / 46.8152111°N 71.2106278°W |
| Organisation | |
| Care system | Medicare |
| Hospital type | Teaching |
| Affiliated university | Laval University |
| Services | |
| Speciality | cancer treatment, kidney disease and cochlear implants |
| History | |
| Founded | 1637 |
The Hôtel-Dieu de Québec is a very old hospital in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It is linked to Laval University's medical school, which means it helps train new doctors. This hospital is part of a bigger group called the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec (CHUQ). It is known for treating cancer, kidney disease, and for performing cochlear implants (devices that help people hear). It also has a special research center.
This hospital was the first one ever built in Canada. It was also the first hospital in North America, north of Mexico!
Contents
History of the Hôtel-Dieu
The hospital was officially started in 1637. It was created to provide healthcare for the people living in the new French colony. A woman named Marie-Madeleine de Vignerot, the Duchesse d'Aiguillon, helped found it. She was a niece of a very important French leader, Cardinal Richelieu.
The Duchess gave the job of running the hospital to a group of nuns called the Canonesses of St. Augustine of the Mercy of Jesus. These nuns were also known as Hospitaller Sisters. Their special calling was to be nurses and care for the sick.
Founding Sisters Arrive
Three young nuns left their monastery in Dieppe, France, which is on the English Channel coast. They arrived in New France on August 1, 1639. Their goal was to open the hospital. These brave nuns were Mothers Marie de Saint-Ignace Guenet, Marie de Saint-Bonaventure Forestier, and Anne de Saint-Bernard Le Cointre.
The nuns built the first hospital in 1640. It was located in a village called Sillery at that time. The Duchess wanted them to care for the First Nations people. So, homes were built near the hospital to make it easier for native people to get care.
Moving to Quebec City
By 1644, the nuns had to leave the Sillery site. This was because of repeated attacks by Iroquois warriors. The community then moved to the town of Quebec.
In Quebec City, the nuns bought land and built the hospital that still stands today. From that point on, it served the French colonists. It became the main medical center for the people of the city.
Another Hospital is Built
In 1693, a new hospital for the poor was built. It was created by Jean-Baptiste de Saint-Vallier, who was the second Bishop of Quebec. This new hospital was called the Hôpital-Général de Québec.
At first, four nuns from the Hôtel-Dieu were sent to help run this new hospital. In 1698, the Bishop officially put the Hôtel-Dieu nuns in charge of it. The Sisters who worked there became an independent monastery in 1701.
National Historic Site
The Hôtel-Dieu hospital was named a National Historic Site of Canada in 1936. The Augustinian nuns continued to operate the Hôtel-Dieu until 1962.
What the Hospital Looks Like
The Hôtel-Dieu site has buildings that were built at different times. Some parts are from 1695, while others are as new as 2001.
The arched cellars that support the three-story parts of the building were built in 1695. Stone walls surround a nearby Augustine cemetery, a monastery, a garden, and a cloister (a covered walkway). The hospital chapel opened in 1803. Its inside and front were later changed by an architect named Thomas Baillairgé.
