Archevêché (ancien)
MonumentHidden Treasure
Archevêché (ancien), located in Arles (Bouches-du-Rhône), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 43.6763, 4.6280
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00081122
The former archbishop's palace of Arles is an architectural jewel in the heart of the ancient city, where Romanesque, Gothic and Provençal Baroque remains blend together in a setting of golden stone.
History
Standing in the heart of Arles, the city of a thousand faces that Victor Hugo described as the "French Rome", the former archbishop's palace is one of the most significant episcopal residences in Provence. Nestling in the immediate vicinity of Saint-Trophime cathedral and the cloister that is its illustrious annex, the building forms a strikingly coherent monumental whole, where the local limestone, golden under the Mediterranean sun, displays its shades of honey and ochre. What makes this monument unique is the legible superimposition of its historical layers. Each wing and each room bears witness to a different era of archiepiscopal power: from the vaulted cellars inherited from the ancient period to the reception flats adorned with Baroque stuccowork, via the arcaded corridors that recall Cistercian austerity. The archbishopric of Arles is not a palace that stands still; it's a history book that you can explore piece by piece. Visitors will be particularly struck by the inner courtyard, laid out according to the canons of classical Provencal architecture, where the rigour of the lines meets the generosity of the sky. The parade halls, with their richly decorated ceilings, evoke the splendour of a function that, for over a thousand years, played a major role in the political and religious destinies of southern France. The setting in Arles makes the experience even greater. Just a stone's throw from the Roman arena and Constantine's baths, the archbishop's palace is part of an exceptional urban fabric that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cobbled, shady alleyways leading to the archbishop's palace are the perfect way to discover this sanctuary of Provençal episcopal power.
Architecture
The former archbishop's palace of Arles has a composite architecture, the result of successive remodelling over several centuries, characteristic of the great medieval and modern episcopal palaces of the Midi. Local limestone, quarried in and around the Alpilles, is the dominant material, giving the building the warm, luminous hue so typical of Provencal architecture. The general layout is organised around one or more inner courtyards, following a pattern inherited from Roman palaces and perpetuated by monastic tradition. The exterior facades, sober and massive, contrast with the richness of the interior spaces: large vaulted rooms, galleries with Romanesque semi-circular arches, reception flats with Baroque woodwork and stucco. The low-sloped roofs, as is customary in Provence, are covered with round canal tiles that draw their characteristic lines under the blue Arles sky. Remarkable architectural features include the quality of the decorative sculpture on some of the door and window frames, inherited from the workshops that worked simultaneously on the Saint-Trophime site. The vaulted cellars have preserved some very old masonry, testifying to the continuous occupation of the site since Antiquity. The links between the different wings reveal the traces of successive building campaigns, which can be seen in the variations in the style and layout of the walls.
Related Figures
Saint Trophime d'Arles — premier évêque légendaire d'Arles (Ier-IIIe siècle), figure tutélaire du christianisme arlésienSaint Césaire d'Arles — archevêque (503-542), l'un des plus grands prélats de l'Antiquité tardive, réformateur de la liturgie occidentalePatrice Louis de Grignan — archevêque d'Arles au XVIIe siècle, beau-fils de Madame de Sévigné, figure majeure du baroque provençalJean de Montcalm — archevêque d'Arles au XVIIIe siècle, représentant du haut clergé de l'Ancien RégimeFrédéric Mistral — le chantre de la Provence eut des liens étroits avec le patrimoine arlésien et défendit la préservation des monuments de la citéJean-Maurice de Brézé — archevêque issu de la haute noblesse française, emblématique du prestige du siège d'Arles à l'époque moderne
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Archevêché (ancien) located?
Archevêché (ancien) is located in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France.
When was Archevêché (ancien) built?
Archevêché (ancien) dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Archevêché (ancien) open to visitors?
Archevêché (ancien) is currently closed to visitors.