The outer walls of the building are probably located outside the excavation area; therefore, only rooms of the first story and their interior walls were exposed (Figs. 2, 3). These included a large hall (L105), a kitchen (L108) and three connecting corridors (Loci 109, 112, 113). The walls, which were partially preserved to a maximum height of nine courses (c. 2.5 m), were built of two rows of ashlar stones and a core of medium-sized fieldstones. Remains of plaster were found on all walls. The floors of the rooms were paved with various ceramic tiles in shades of gray or red. It seems that the architects of the building wished to accentuate the differences in the nature and function of the various spaces by utilizing tile of different colors. Black soot was discerned on the floors throughout the entire area of the convent, but this was mostly evident in the large hall where a major conflagration occurred.

The entrance to the large hall was by way of a long corridor (L109; length 18.6 m, width 1.25 m) delineated on one side by Wall 6 (length 11.5 m, width 0.8 m. preserved height 2.2 m) and by the front wall of the building that did not survive. The corridor (Fig. 4) was paved with red ceramic tiles (0.2 × 0.2 m) and remains of paving tiles, blocks, steps and stone architectural elements that overlaid the corridor floor and were next to W6 bear witness to the collapse of the upper stories. Two stone steps (length 1.55 m, width 0.35 m, height 0.2 m) led from the corridor to the large hall (L105; 9.9 × 13.7 m), which was paved with gray ceramic tiles (0.2 × 0.2 m). Three square column bases (A, B, C; 0.8 × 0.8 m) were exposed in a row opposite Wall 1, 1.5 m east of it. The excavation, which was deepened by 2.4 m by means of mechanical equipment in the southern part of the hall (L111) adjacent to and east of the Column A base, exposed a wall (W5) that was founded on bedrock. Column Base A was set on this wall and it seems the latter was a stylobate that bore a row of columns. The southern end of the stylobate wall (length 1.3 m; width 0.8 m, height 0.7 m) was discovered and at its northern end was a plastered door jamb, an indication of an opening (width 1.8 m) between the door jamb and Column Base A. Three semicircular depressions (0.5 × 0.8 m; Fig. 2) that were used to position semicircular-shaped pillar bases were discovered in the floor next to W1 and opposite the column bases that were set on the stylobate. Three window sills (a, b, c; width 1.2–1.3 m) were preserved in W1. The walls between Window Sill a and Window Sill b did not survive, but since the room is symmetric its size can be reconstructed based on the wall between Windows b and c and the pillar bases that were situated between the windows. A special find that consisted of c. 60 marble artifacts was discovered in a heap between Column Bases A and B, next to W1 (L100; see below). Besides the marble artifacts, numerous stones items were found; similar ones were discerned in the eastern part of the hall. The remains of a bed that were leaning up against the middle of W6 were found with glass fragments nearby.

The hall was delimited on its eastern side by a wall (W10) in which three openings (width 1 m) were set; the southern opening was delimited by Wall 11. The sections of the wall between the openings were identical in size (0.85 × 2.40 m) to the sections of Wall 1 between the windows. In addition, the sections of W10 were parallel to Column Bases B and C. The southern part of the hall was delineated by W11. The passage from the hall to the corridor to its east (L112) was marked by a change in the floor tiles from gray to red. The corridor (length 8.75 m, width 2.0 m), paved with red ceramic floor tiles, was not excavated in its southern part. Originally, a passage existed between Corridor 112 and Corridor 109; however, at some point in time the eastern part of W6 (length 2.0 m, width 0.8 m) was sealed. Three arch stones were integrated into the stone fill that blocked W6. A ceramic drainage pipe extended along Walls 8a-b, which delimited the eastern border of Corridor 112. Another corridor (L113) whose eastern part was not excavated was to the east of Corridor 112. Corridor 113 (length 2.2 m, width 2 m) was paved with red ceramic tiles and its walls were coated with plaster. It is assumed that this corridor led to the kitchen (L108).

The kitchen (length 3.0 m, width 2.2 m; Fig. 5), paved with red ceramic tiles and plastered, was delimited on the north side by a thin curtain brick wall (0.1 m). It was identified by the artifacts it contained, including teapots, a metal cup, a copper weight, part of a stone mortar (Fig. 6) and a large quantity of fragmentary porcelain plates that were produced in Czech Republic for Zanini in Jerusalem.

The passage to the second story was exposed in the northern part of the building. Six stone steps (L106; length 1.5 m, width 0.4 m, height 0.2 m) survived of the staircase, at whose foot was a stone landing (1.40 × 1.75 m; Fig. 7). A drainage conduit (diam. 0.1 m) passed beneath the steps, along W1 in a north–south direction, to a drainage/septic pit (L102; length 1 m, width 0.4 m, depth 0.85 m; Fig. 8).

Architectural Finds. Among these finds were marble elements that included a tile inlaid with a mosaic pattern (Fig. 9:1), gilded marble tiles (Fig. 9:2), gilded column and pillar bases (Fig. 9:3), a keystone inlaid with a gilded mosaic and the number 1531 in blue (Fig. 9:4), a marble chancel screen bearing reliefs and adorned with green granite and malachite inlay (Fig. 10:1), a malachite gemstone (Fig. 10:2), a gilded marble panel (Fig. 11:1) and gilded cornices (Fig. 11:2). The stone elements included a decorated capital (Fig. 12:1), a pilaster capital (Fig. 12:2), a decorated column base (Fig. 12:3), a pilaster base (Fig. 12:4) and column drums (Fig. 12:5).

 

Other finds from the large hall (L100). These finds included fragments of black marble slab that bore a Latin memorial inscription in gilded letters (Fig. 13:1), fragments of blue glass (Fig. 13:2), small glass bottles and an inkwell (Fig. 14), a fragment of a metal chancel screen (Fig. 15:1), a clover-like metal door hinge (Fig. 15:2), metal handles and a small faucet (Fig. 15:3). A gold-plated copper pendant (Fig. 16) was discovered outside the excavation area, next to W11. The obverse of the pendant is engraved with an image of Mary holding Jesus, surrounded by angels and flanked by the words REGINA ANGELORUM (the Queen of the Angels). The reverse of the pendant is inlaid with a glass molded frame engraved with angels. A picture was probably inserted within it at one time.

 

The order of the Soeurs de Marie Réparatrice that ran the convent was founded in Strasbourg, France in 1858, following a spiritual revelation that the foundress of the order, the Baroness Emilie d’Hooghvorst, experienced. In the wake of this revelation, she took the religious name of Mary of Jesus. The community of French nuns in the Land of Israel that belonged to this order founded a convent with their own money on the lot that was given to them in 1888 by Baron Marie Paul Amedeé de Piellat. The reason for founding the convent in this place should be seen as an attempt to create a French foothold in the region, blocking any direct visual contact between the Russian assets in the Russian Compound and the Christian Quarter (T. Shiloni 1994. The projects of the French Baron de Piellat in the Holy Land [1884–1925]. Cathedra 72:63–90). The compound included Saint-Louis Hospital, the Notre Dame Hostel and the convent of the Soeurs de Marie Réparatrice and formed a ‘French bloc’ in the area. Subsequent to the building of the convent, the New Gate was breached in 1889 to allow direct and shorter access between the ‘French bloc’ and the Holy Sepulcher and the Christian Quarter. The convent was destroyed during battles of the War of Independence.