Why is the Hopital Hotel-Dieu in Paris important or is it just a hotel?

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rondavous

I think the answer is in the name. Its a hospital.

WISE OWL

It is not a hotel. The word "hotel" in French originally described large houses.The Hotel-Dieu was the first real hospital and, as you have seen in the entry above, it is extremely old. It used to be run by nuns (sisters) and treated patients free of charge. It is still in the same place near the Sainte Chapelle and continues to function as a hospital.

Mica

It's a hospital hence the hopital and hotel dieu

Sidsassenach

As it has been said HÃ´tel used to described very large house. It is still used for hÃ´tel particulier (meaning a complete private house in a city center).

So the name refer to the House of God (Dieu=God). A lot of old hospitals in France are called HÃ´tel Dieu

robocop48

It isn't important.

SJH

- L'Hotel-Dieu: there are many legends giving different origins for this hospital which has had a great influence on the city of Paris throughout history. It could be that it dates from druid times or it could be be that it originates from the time of Emperor Julien II. It seems most likely that Saint-Landry, the twenty eighth bishop of Paris, was responsible for the founding of the hospital. D Louis Mackay tells us this about it:

"Saint Landry is especially well known in history as a benefactor, who gave of his income and even sold precious objects from his cathedral for the relief of sick poor people. Similarly, we are told that he established l'hopital de Saint-Christophe near the cathedral for the needy to be received, (...) The foundation date varies according to the author recounting the story, but all are in the period between 600 and 651 (...) The earliest document about l'hopital de Saint-Christophe is a charter of Bishop Inchade dated 829. (...) Suffice it to say here that, there's no doubt that this hospital is the same one that we know by the name of "Hotel-Dieu" (Domus Dei). This name was used for the first time in an official document of King Louis VII in 1157. Up to the middle of the 13th century we can find 3 names for this building: hopital Saint-Christophe, hopital de Notre-Dame, and Hotel-Dieu. It's this hospital (... that) has played a major or a minor role in the lives of many people from all classes of society."

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