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Origin and history

The prefecture hotel of Martinique, located in Fort-de-France, is an official building built between 1923 and 1928 by architect Germain Olivier, with Paul Fraisse as architect of execution. A classic inspiration, he was inspired by the Petit Trianon de Versailles in its general form, while adopting a distinct architectural vocabulary. First reinforced concrete building on the island, it replaces a former wooden house housing the Government Palace, separated from the Petit Government by Government Street.

Originally, the governors of Martinique resided at Fort Saint-Louis in 1672, then in a large wooden house, before the new Governor's Hotel was erected. It became prefecture in 1946, during the département of Martinique, and since then has been home to the services of the prefecture of the region. Partly inscribed in the historical monuments on 20 March 1990, it retains facades with superimposed orders (doric on the ground floor, ionic on the floor) and a mechanical tile cover.

The official installation ceremony as a prefecture took place on 23 August 1947, although the departmentalization was voted on 19 March 1946. In 1948, the legal ownership of the building was transferred to the Department, while remaining under the control of the State. The building thus symbolizes the transition from colonial to departmental status, while embodying an innovative architecture for the era in Martinique.

The protected elements include the facades and roofs of the three main buildings, bordering an aisle of honour. The wooden carpentry and ironwork doors on the ground floor reflect a mixture of local traditions and metropolitan influences. The current address, 82 Victor-Severe Street, perpetuates its central role in the Martinic administration.

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