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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The 15th Corps Commander's Hotel is a former mansion built in 1760 by the merchant Arnaud Abdon Bourlat de La Force, on a land acquired from the Armeny family. Located at 11 Armény Street in the 6th arrondissement of Marseilles, it embodies 18th-century civil architecture and the prestige of the Marseilles trading elites.

Upon the death of Bourlat de La Force, the hotel was bought in 1785 by the merchant Dominique Audibert, who made it a place of culture and sociability. Audibert organizes a well-known literary fair, welcomes members of the Académie de Marseille and the Chamber of Commerce, and exhibits a collection of works of art. In 1800 Charles-François Delacroix temporarily resided there when the Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture was created.

The hotel changed hands several times in the 19th century: acquired by General Jean Baptiste de Félix du Muy in 1813, then by Jean-Joseph de Salasc in 1850, before being purchased by the Ministry of War in 1852. He then became the residence of the commander of the 15th Corps and the Circle of Officers. His military role culminated in 1944, when the surrender of the German troops occupying Marseilles was signed in the presence of General de Monsabert.

The facade of the hotel, including its vantals, has been listed as historical monuments since October 11, 1930. The building, owned by the state, bears witness to both the Marseille architectural heritage and major episodes of national history, from the Revolution to the Liberation.

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