Description
Completed in 1678, this imposing baroque structure stands in the heart of the city. Renovation work was carried out in 2022-2023. Since April 2024, the building has housed the Martigues Tourist and Leisure Office.
A symbol of the 17th-century urban renewal in Martigues, this magnificent private mansion was commissioned in 1677 by Esprit Turc, the town's viguier (magistrate) at the time. Crafted from exquisite dressed stone from Font Salade—attributed to the talented mason Pierre Fabre—the residence faces the canal and the church. This architectural gem chronicles the history of the great families of Martigues and lends incomparable charm to the narrow streets of the historic center.
Built at the end of a block of houses reclaimed from the old Vauroux Canal by the filling of marshes, the Hôtel de Colla de Pradines opens onto a wide, lively square that became the Place de la Libération and faces the contemporary Sainte Marie-Madeleine church.
It was the second home of the powerful Aix family of Italian origin, the Colla de Pradines.
With its corner buttresses, pilasters, and the balanced distribution of its large bays, the monument evokes the residences built in the Aix region during the same period.
On the façade, a plaque pays tribute to Gérard Tenque (1047-1120), founder of the Order of the Hospitallers, who is believed to have been born in Martigues. His statue can be found on the façade of the Church of St. Genest in Jonquières. Formerly the Town Hall from 1808 to 1983, the building housed the District Court until 2018.
In 2024, it will become the new Tourist Office in the heart of the Ile district. This is a major project to save this jewel of Martigues' architectural heritage.
