Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hotel de Joannis de Verclos, located in Avignon, is a large building built in the 4th quarter of the 17th century. The prize for this house with a tripartite façade on Place de la Principale was signed on 31 October 1686 between Charles-Joseph de Joannis, Marquis de Verclos, and the artisans Pierre Army (maçon) and Jean-André Souchon (carpenter). The alleged architect is Louis-François de Royers de La Valfenière. This building embodies the opulence of the Avignon nobility of the time, mixing local influences and Florentine heritage.

The Joannis family, originally from Florence under the name Giovani, settled in Provence in the 15th century. Leon de Joannis, the first representative in Avignon around 1420, bought a house there and became trustee of the nobility. His descendant Peter II acquired in 1640 the seigneury of Verclos, in the principality of Orange, consolidating family prestige. The later works (1726, 1748) were led by renowned architect Jean-Baptiste Franque.

Ranked a historic monument in 1949 for its facade and roof, the hotel illustrates the architectural evolution of Avignon between the Middle Ages and the modern era. Its history also reflects the links between the Provencal nobility and the Italian artistic currents, notably through the marriage of Pierre de Joannis with Marguerite de Nostradamus in 1500, the parent of the famous prophet.

Sources mention bibliographical references such as Évocation du Vieil Avignon (Joseph Girard, 1958) and heritage guides. The building, still located in 4 Place de la Principale, remains a major testimony of the Avignon heritage, although its current access (visit, rental) is not specified in the documents consulted.

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