Aitre Saint Maclou

The Aître Saint-Maclou in Rouen is a historic charnel house dating back to the time of the Black Death. In the 16th century it was expanded into one of the few surviving mass-grave cemeteries of its kind in Europe. The name comes from the neighboring Church of Saint-Maclou, whose cemetery had to be enlarged because of recurring plague epidemics. Construction began in 1526 with the west wing, while the other sides were added through the 17th century. The attics originally served as storage for bones before the building was remodeled in the 18th century and converted into a school for poor children.

Architecturally, the complex impresses with its four cloister wings enclosing a central courtyard. The columns of the older wings are decorated with early Renaissance ornamentation, while the beams are adorned with symbolic motifs such as bones, liturgical implements, and scenes from the Dance of Death. After the cemetery closed in the 18th century, the site served various purposes, including a spinning mill and a weapons factory. Today the listed building houses the School of Fine Arts, after it was taken over and restored by the city of Rouen. Visitors can experience the striking combination of Gothic and Renaissance architecture as well as the historical significance of this unique place.