Villa Magalone
MonumentHidden Treasure
Villa Magalone, located in Marseille (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
- Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 43.2616, 5.3986
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00081374
Nichée dans un écrin de verdure à Marseille, la Villa Magalone est un joyau discret du tournant des XVIIe-XVIIIe siècles, dont les jardins à la française ont été magnifiés au XIXe siècle par le célèbre paysagiste Édouard André.
History
At the heart of a Marseille that is often imagined as being entirely focused on the sea and trade, Villa Magalone reveals a completely different side of the city: that of the opulent bastides and well-tended gardens that the great families of Provence liked to establish away from the hustle and bustle of the port. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1948, it belongs to the tradition of Marseille country houses - the famous bastides - that flourished on the outskirts of the city from the Grand Siècle onwards. What makes Villa Magalone truly unique is the harmonious superimposition of two distinct architectural periods and exceptional garden design. Built in the last quarter of the seventeenth century and completed in the first quarter of the eighteenth, it bears witness to the economic ascent of the Marseilles bourgeoisie who, enriched by Mediterranean trade, aspired to display their success in stone and green. The building, with its classical lines and Provençal sobriety, forms a permanent dialogue with its gardens, which were redesigned in the 19th century in a romantic, landscaped style. It is precisely this parkland that gives the villa its most unexpected character. Édouard André, a renowned landscape gardener whose work permeated the whole of Europe during the Second Empire and the Belle Époque, deployed his talent here to marry French geometric rigour with a more naturalist sensibility, inherited from his travels and English influence. Shady avenues, skilfully designed perspectives, Mediterranean and exotic species all come together in a composition that seems both orderly and spontaneous. To visit Villa Magalone is to agree to slow down and let Marseille fade into the background for the duration of a stroll. The atmosphere is one of suspended time, between the cracking of the umbrella pines and the heady scent of the nearby garrigue. The site will appeal as much to lovers of architecture as to those with a passion for garden history, offering each visitor a different interpretation of this discreet heritage, rich in historical resonance.
Architecture
Villa Magalone is part of the great tradition of late 17th-century bastides in Marseille, characterised by sober, balanced architecture that is far removed from the ostentation of Versailles, but imbued with a strong sense of classical dignity. The main building probably has a symmetrical rectangular floor plan, with a well-ordered facade whose aligned bays punctuate the composition in accordance with the precepts of French classicism. The local materials - white limestone or ochre from Provencal quarries - give the building the golden hue so characteristic of Marseille architecture. The architectural details reflect the transition from the Louis XIV to the Regency style, as can be seen in the slight changes to the window surrounds and cornices between the two construction campaigns. The facades would have featured horizontal bands punctuating the floors, rusticated walls and probably an external or internal grand staircase with a wrought iron handrail, an essential feature of Provencal bourgeois homes of the period. The roofs, probably made of russet canal tiles, are part of this distinctive Mediterranean landscape. The gardens designed by Édouard André are the other architectural feature of the site. Structured around a main axis linking the residence to the park, they feature terraces, paths lined with pruned boxwood or living hedges, ornamental ponds and more open areas planted with Mediterranean species - pines, cypresses, olive trees - and exotic specimens reflecting the botanical taste of the 19th century. This skilful composition makes Magalone an invaluable document of French landscape art in the second half of the 19th century.
Related Figures
Édouard André (1840-1911) — paysagiste de renommée internationale, auteur des jardins du XIXe siècleJean-Pierre Barillet-Deschamps — maître d'Édouard André, figure tutélaire du paysagisme français Second EmpirePropriétaires négociants marseillais du XVIIe siècle — commanditaires de la construction originale, issus de la bourgeoisie marchande phocéenneArchitecte anonyme du Grand Siècle — concepteur de la villa, probablement formé à l'école classique française
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Villa Magalone located?
Villa Magalone is located in Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France.
When was Villa Magalone built?
Villa Magalone dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Villa Magalone open to visitors?
Villa Magalone is currently closed to visitors.
