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Origin and history

The Hotel de Pesciolini, also known as the Hotel de Mazargues, is a former 17th-century mansion located at 1, rue Nationale, at the corner of the rue d Its south façade, facing the Belsunce courtyard, features a classic Marseille building layout: a lower level with shops and basement, two noble floors, and an attic. The most remarkable element is its first-floor ironwork balcony, supported by two monumental atlantes surrounding an eye-of-beef, under which are carved two sphinges attached. Each atlante rests on one column on either side of the front door. Although the layout evokes the naval architecture of high-end ships, the authorship of this work cannot be attributed to Pierre Puget.

The hotel was built between 1672 and 1673 by the entrepreneurs César Portal and Alexandre Casteau for Amant de Pesciolini, son of Hercule Pesciolini, banker and merchant of Tuscan origin. The land, bought on 9 April 1672 at Barthélemy de Cousinéry, father-in-law of Amant, was located near the convent of the Recollets. The original estimate provided for consoles, but the masons realized instead two colosses inspired by the atlantes carved by Pierre Puget for the Toulon town hall in 1657. The monumental gate was listed as historic monuments in 1929, and the entire hotel was registered in 2023.

The hotel changes owners several times after its construction. From 1692 he was rented to Jean-Paul de Foresta, then bequeathed to Marie-Anne de Pesciolini, wife of Jean de Montaud, who sold him in 1708. During the Revolution, the building belonged to the Gantel-Guitton family, whose former mayor of Marseilles Joachim-Elzéard fled after the fire of his castle in 1790. His son, executed in 1793, saw his property sold at auction. The hotel then passed into the hands of several families, including the Reynards, before returning to André-Élisé Reynard, mayor of Marseilles from 1843 to 1848.

The hotel of Pesciolini bears witness to the influence of the merchant and aristocratic families of Marseilles in the 17th and 18th centuries. Its architecture, combining classicism and sculptural audacity, reflects the prestige of its sponsors and the cultural exchanges between Marseille, Tuscany and Provence. Ferronry and atlantes, inspired by Toulouse models, underline the importance of local artisans and artistic networks of the time.

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