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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Château de l'Emperi is a fortification built in the 9th century on the Puech rock, overlooking the Crau plain in Salon-de-Provence. His name comes from the Provençal Empèri (empire), linked to his occupation by the German emperors and archbishops of Arles. Symbol of the city with Nostradamus, it attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.

Ranked a historic monument in 1956, the castle houses three major cultural entities: the Museum of the Army (annex of the Invalides), presenting uniforms and military objects of the Ancien Régime during the First World War, including Napoleonic relics such as a bed of St. Helena or gloves worn in Egypt. These collections come from the sale to the state in 1967 of the Raoul & Jean Brunon collection.

The Museum of Salon and Crau traces the local history from Antiquity to the 20th century, covering archaeology, soap, agriculture and religious art. At its feet, the Simple Garden cultivates medicinal plants used by Nostradamus for its recipes. The site also hosts summer festivals, such as the Renaissance Festivals, medieval historical reconstructions transforming the city centre.

The castle is surrounded by cultural areas, such as the Brunon courtyard (seat of associations and the municipal conservatory) and the Place des Centuries, offering views of the old town. Close to the Emperi high school, known for its preparation for the School of the Air and its famous canteen, the monument embodies both a military heritage, a dynamic associative life and a place of Provencal memory.

The emblematic pieces exhibited include the sabre of Abdel Kader (source of diplomatic tensions with Algeria), Napoleon's Marshal uniforms (Davout, Bessières), or a giberne of Louis XV. These objects illustrate the evolution of the French armies, from the Revolution to 1918, while anchoring the castle in contemporary memorial issues.

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