Palais des Arts

The Palais des Arts of Marseille, designed by Henri Espérandieu

The Palais des Arts, or Palais Carli, is one of the major venues of the Phocaean city. It was designed by Henri Espérandieu, the architect of the basilica Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde. The Marseille audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this fine building, a witness of the cultural and architectural rise of the city in the nineteenth century.

A nineteenth-century cultural building

The Palais des Arts, initially built in 1864, is the work of Henri Espérandieu, also the designer of the famous basilica Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde. An elegant building, it was dedicated to the arts and housed notably a school and collections. Now a cultural and teaching venue, it testifies to the ambition of Marseille to equip itself, in the nineteenth century, with great facilities dedicated to culture and knowledge.

What to see

You admire the elegant façade of the Palais des Arts, a witness of nineteenth-century architecture in Marseille, and its garden. The building, linked to the name of Henri Espérandieu, completes the discovery of the cultural heritage of the city. It is a stop for lovers of architecture, away from the busiest sites.

Practical information

The Palais des Arts lies in the heart of Marseille, reachable on foot and by public transport. Its façade can be freely admired from the street; access inside depends on its cultural and teaching uses and on possible events open to the public. It is best to enquire for any visit.

Who designed the Palais des Arts of Marseille?

The architect Henri Espérandieu, who also designed the basilica Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde; the building, also called Palais Carli, dates from 1864.

What is the Palais des Arts also called?

It is also called the Palais Carli; it is one of the major cultural venues of Marseille, in the heart of the city.