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Founded in 1613, this convent was home to the "turchine" nuns also nicknamed Blue nuns, from a rather unknown Genoese order. The term "turchine" refers to the colour of their habits.

Those nuns were called "turchine" because they used to wear a blue dress ("turchino" means blue in Italian). After 1769, the French called them "turquines". They belonged to a rare religious order founded by a Genoese nun, called Maria Vittoria De Fornari (1562-1617). The foundation of the convent in Bastia dates back to 1613. That building was a provincial branch of the convent of "turchine" in Genoa, and submitted to the same rules as those of the mother house. On the ground floor, the carriage gateway was the main entrance of the convent. It opens to a small courtyard, in the axis of which was the chapel, dedicated to the Annunciation. This had three bays, delimited by big pilasters. On the right hand side of the courtyard, a vaulted staircase serves the floors. Under the Revolution the building was declared to be the property of the state under the act of 10 July 1791, and turned into barracks. In late 19th century, the "Barracks of the Turchine" was called "Sebastiani barracks", in honour of Count Horace Sebastiani (1772-1851) who was general, ambassador, M.P. for Corsica, minister of the Navy and Foreign Office, and Maréchal de France. Nowadays, the building houses part of the Lycée professionnel d’enseignement maritime et aquacole.

Bastia

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