Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The present castle of Marignane, today city hall, finds its origins in the fourteenth century with a first construction initiated around 1353 by Guillaume des Baux. This medieval castle was partially restored in the 16th century, before undergoing major transformations under the impetus of its new owners.

In 1603 Jean-Baptiste Covet acquired the Marquisat de Marignane and completed the reconstruction of the castle. The site then becomes a vast quadrilateral surrounding a court of honor, with two wings added to close three sides. Work continued in 1664 under the direction of architect Jean Daret, who designed a new building in the east and south, while interior decoration — paintings and gypseries of chimneys — was entrusted to his workshop and Jean-Louis Michel, completed in 1696.

The castle changed hands in the 19th century: sold in 1817, it was bought by the municipality in 1892 to become the city hall. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1996, it preserves architectural elements of the 14th, 16th and 17th centuries, testifying to its evolution throughout the epochs. Its column portal, added in the eighteenth century, and its baroque interior decorations make it a remarkable example of Provencal heritage.

It should be noted that Marignane once had a second castle, located in Papia, now extinct. The present castle, with its classical additions and medieval foundations, illustrates the transition between seigneurial fortress and aristocratic residence, before serving the communal administration.

External links