Grand Hôtel de la Préfecture, Marseille

The Hôtel de la Préfecture stands tall amid Rue Saint-Férréol, not far from the city centre and just steps away from the U.S. Consulate. An imposing building (7200 m2), it was modeled on the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. Under the orders of De Maupas, leading Prefect of the Second Empire, it was designed by architect Martin and constructed between 1861 and 1866. Statues and medallions representing great Provençal figures adorn the immense façades. The private apartments within have accommodated several French Presidents over the years as well as sovereigns from abroad. Outside, the expansive square decorated with jet fountains and a large underground car park are 20th-Century additions to the Place de la Préfecture.

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