Aix-en-Provence City Hall, also known as Hôtel de Ville, is a historic building located in the heart of the city. It was built in the 17th century, and has a rich architectural and artistic heritage.
Here are some of the main features of the City Hall:
The façade, inspired by Italian palaces, was designed by Pierre Pavillon, a local architect, with the assistance of the sculptors Jean-Claude Rambot and Jean-Baptiste Fossé. The façade has statues of angels, and busts of counts of Provence and King Louis XIV, although some of them were damaged or destroyed during the French Revolution.
The entrance is framed by two double Doric columns linked by an entablature which support a fine wrought-iron balcony dating from 1661. Each leaf of the wooden door is decorated with a lion’s head knocker designed by Pierre Pavillon. This door leads to the square inner courtyard, where there is a fountain and a porch supporting a state balcony.
The twin winding staircases lead to the magnificent Salle des Etats de Provence (House of Representatives), where the provincial parliament used to meet. The original decoration of the hall, dating from the 18th century, was destroyed in 17921. The present paintings illustrating the history of the city and of Provence were done between 1899 and 1905 by Henri Martin, Paul Gervais, and Edouard Detaille.
The City Hall also houses the Musée du Vieil Aix (Museum of Old Aix), which displays collections of furniture, ceramics, costumes, and paintings related to the history and culture of Aix-en-Provence.