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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house Gubernatis, also called "Palais" Gubernatis, is a house of notable situated in Saint-Martin-Vésubie, in the Alpes-Maritimes. Built between the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century, it is the best preserved of the houses of notables of the region. Its location, on the Place Gubernatis at the bottom of the Rue du Docteur-Cagnoli, makes it a central element of the local heritage.

The Gubernatis family built its fortune through the salt trade, a major activity between the 14th and 18th centuries on the road linking Nice and Piedmont via the Fenestre Pass. Nicolas de Gubernatis, an entrepreneur of salt gabelles in the 15th century, illustrates this prosperity. The family even owned a patronate altar in the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, marked by a testamentary donation in 1544.

Two members of the family were commander of the shrine of the Madonna of Fenestre, highlighting their religious influence. In 1684 Jérôme-Marcel de Gubernatis, president of the Senate of Nice and ambassador, obtained briefly the infeodation of Saint-Martin, before receiving in 1688 the title of Count of Bonson in compensation. The house, a symbol of this power, was listed as a historic monument on 6 June 1933.

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