Fontaine dite « Coste », place de la Joliette
MonumentHidden Treasure
Fontaine dite « Coste », place de la Joliette, located in Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 43.3050, 5.3658
- Mérimée Reference
- PA13000114
Nestling in the Place de la Joliette, the Coste fountain is a discreet jewel in Marseille's heritage, recently listed as a Historic Monument. Its soberly elegant basin bears witness to the care taken to embellish the old port in the 19th century.
History
At the heart of the Joliette district, one of Marseille's oldest maritime thoroughfares, the Coste fountain stands as a silent witness to the city's urban history. Far from the grandiose spectacle of some monumental Provencal fountains, it draws its strength from a restrained elegance, a presence anchored in the stone and in the collective memory of the port district. This type of square fountain, typical of nineteenth-century Mediterranean urban planning, once fulfilled a vital function: supplying drinking water to the residents, dockers and merchants of the Joliette market. Each basin, each trickle of murmuring water, was a reminder of the hard-working daily life of a district open to the sea and the world. Its sober architecture contrasts with the effervescence that has always animated the surrounding square. The visit is intimate and contemplative. You'll discover the Coste fountain as you stroll through the Joliette district, between the remains of old Marseille and the new architecture of the Euroméditerranée district. Its recent enhancement, confirmed by its listing as a Historic Monument in November 2023, invites us to take a fresh look at these so-called "minor" heritage objects, which nevertheless structure the profound identity of urban squares. The setting is typically Marseillais: the bright light of the Midi, the smell of salt from the nearby port, the sounds of the city mingled with the lapping of the water. The modest but irreducible Coste fountain alone embodies Marseille's age-old relationship with water - a precious resource in a Mediterranean city where drought was long a constant threat.
Architecture
The Coste fountain belongs to the great family of nineteenth-century Provençal square fountains, characterised by sober, functional architecture, heir to classical canons but stripped of all ornamental excess. It probably consists of a central shaft in local limestone - the king material of Marseilles construction - topped by one or more tiered basins, whose moulded profiles bear witness to real craftsmanship. The basins, carved in a golden stone typical of the region, have bevelled edges to make drawing water easier. The fountain rests on a polygonal or circular base, slightly higher than the floor of the square, which defines a symbolic space around the fountain. Bronze gargoyles or taps, typical of municipal fountains in Marseille at the time, ensured the flow of water. The overall silhouette, at a modest two to three metres high, emphasises harmonious integration into the space of the square rather than making a monumental statement. The materials used - limestone from Cassis or La Couronne, cast iron or bronze for the metal elements - are representative of regional building practices in the 19th century. The absence of heavy sculpted decoration gives the Coste fountain an almost unintentional modernity, bringing it closer to the great neo-classical fountains of the first half of the nineteenth century than to the eclectic creations of its end.
Related Figures
Famille Coste (probable commanditaire ou bienfaiteur local ayant donné son nom à la fontaine)François Coste (architecte marseillais du XIXe siècle, actif dans les travaux publics de la ville)Pascal Paoli (figure symbolique des quartiers populaires marseillais liés au commerce méditerranéen)Esprit Puget (ingénieur des eaux de Marseille, XIXe siècle, associé à la gestion des fontaines publiques)Jean-Jacques Espérandieu (architecte marseillais du XIXe siècle, auteur de nombreux édifices du quartier)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Fontaine dite « Coste », place de la Joliette located?
Fontaine dite « Coste », place de la Joliette is located in Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France.
When was Fontaine dite « Coste », place de la Joliette built?
Fontaine dite « Coste », place de la Joliette dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Fontaine dite « Coste », place de la Joliette open to visitors?
Fontaine dite « Coste », place de la Joliette is currently closed to visitors.