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Origin and history

The town hall of Sartène, built in the early 16th century by the Genoese, is an emblematic building of the military and civil architecture of Corsica. Originally, he served as a residence for the lieutenant of the Genoese Republic after Sartène became the capital of the Rocca province, replacing Porto Vecchio. This fortified palace also played a defensive role against local conflicts and barbaric raids, reflecting the tensions of the period in the Mediterranean.

Partly destroyed in 1564 during the siege led by Sampiero Corso, a Corsican chief rebelled against Genoa, the building was quickly rebuilt. In the 16th century, it will even briefly house Theodore de Neuhoff, a German adventurer self-proclaimed king of Corsica in 1736, who made it his residence. Subsequent changes, such as the building of the upper floors into barracks in the 19th century, testify to its adaptation to successive military and administrative needs.

The current architecture, with its four levels and its opening in the middle of the hanger at the location of an old drawbridge, preserves traces of its defensive vocation. The balconies of the façade, one of which rests on ancient mâchicoulis, recall its dual use: symbol of Genoese power and refuge for the inhabitants. Ranked a historic monument in 1991, it now embodies the complex heritage of Corsica between genoese influences, local revolts and modern adaptations.

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