Hôtel de Ville de Marseille

The Hôtel de Ville de Marseille, the city hall, stands on the north quay of the Vieux-Port on Quai du Port in the 2nd arrondissement, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France. It was built between about 1653 and 1683 in the Provençal baroque style, and the facade is attributed to Gaspard Puget, a relative of the sculptor Pierre Puget. The building replaced earlier municipal premises and gave the growing city a formal seat of government facing its main source of wealth, the harbour. The facade is richly decorated with carved stone and rises above the quayside, with a balcony on the first floor and a sculpted pediment bearing the city arms and the royal arms. A coat of arms crowned by the sun reflects the period of Louis XIV, under whom the city's authority was a matter of political tension. Inside, the building has a ceremonial staircase, council chambers and reception rooms, decorated with painting and sculpture, though these spaces are not open for regular tours. The Hôtel de Ville is notable for survival. In January 1943, German and Vichy authorities forced the evacuation and then dynamited a large part of the old quarter north of the Vieux-Port, destroying hundreds of buildings, and the city hall was among the few important structures that remained, with the area behind it rebuilt after the war. The building has been cleaned and restored on several occasions, and the exterior stonework is in good condition. For visitors, the building is a place to appreciate from the quay, as part of a walk around the harbour, rather than a museum. Heritage days in September occasionally open the interior. It sits close to the Mucem, Fort Saint-Jean and the Panier district, so it is easy to include in a short historical walk. The nearby quay is lively with market stalls and cafes, and the city hall's facade is particularly effective in late afternoon sunlight.