Place de l'H么tel de Ville (Town Hall Square), Aix-en-Provence (must see)
Town Hall Square may sound like bureaucracy central, but in Aix-en-Provence, it鈥檚 where history and art come together in a picturesque standoff. This central square has been keeping civic life scenic since the 14th century鈥攖hough the current Town Hall, finished in 1678, is the spruced-up version by architect Pierre Pavillon. Bonus trivia: Paul C茅zanne, tied the knot here in 1886. Romance and paperwork鈥攖wo Provence traditions.
Towering above the square is the Clock Tower, built in 1510 from white limestone and accessorized with an astronomical clock from 1661. It also sports a medieval bell once used to enforce feudal dues鈥攁 cheerful reminder that history is full of taxes in disguise. Think of it as a giant stone calendar that occasionally scolds peasants.
Right beside the Town Hall sits the former Corn Exchange Hall, an 18th-century building that clearly believed grain deserved glamour. Now repurposed as a library and post office, it continues to deliver鈥攋ust with books and stamps. Sorry, no more corn. Anchoring the square is a glorious fountain by Jean Chastel, topped with a Roman column from 1755, adding a touch of imperial flair to your afternoon amble.
Today, the square balances old-world elegance with everyday charm. You鈥檒l find caf茅 tables spilling into the cobbles, a flower market in full bloom on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and a book fair on the first Sunday of every month. Bureaucracy has never looked this lovely.
Towering above the square is the Clock Tower, built in 1510 from white limestone and accessorized with an astronomical clock from 1661. It also sports a medieval bell once used to enforce feudal dues鈥攁 cheerful reminder that history is full of taxes in disguise. Think of it as a giant stone calendar that occasionally scolds peasants.
Right beside the Town Hall sits the former Corn Exchange Hall, an 18th-century building that clearly believed grain deserved glamour. Now repurposed as a library and post office, it continues to deliver鈥攋ust with books and stamps. Sorry, no more corn. Anchoring the square is a glorious fountain by Jean Chastel, topped with a Roman column from 1755, adding a touch of imperial flair to your afternoon amble.
Today, the square balances old-world elegance with everyday charm. You鈥檒l find caf茅 tables spilling into the cobbles, a flower market in full bloom on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and a book fair on the first Sunday of every month. Bureaucracy has never looked this lovely.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Aix-en-Provence. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Place de l'H么tel de Ville (Town Hall Square) on Map
Sight Name: Place de l'H么tel de Ville (Town Hall Square)
Sight Location: Aix-en-Provence, France (See walking tours in Aix-en-Provence)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Aix-en-Provence, France (See walking tours in Aix-en-Provence)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Aix-en-Provence, France
Create Your Own Walk in Aix-en-Provence
Creating your own self-guided walk in Aix-en-Provence is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
In the Footsteps of Paul C茅zanne
Paul C茅zanne, often called the 鈥渇ather of modern art鈥� for bridging 19th-century post-impressionism and the birth of early modernism, caused a bit of a stir early in his career. While staying with Doctor Gachet in Auvers-sur-Oise, he painted his take on Manet鈥檚 Olympia鈥攂ut with a twist. Instead of just a reclining nude, C茅zanne inserted himself into the scene, back turned, like a shy... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Aix-en-Provence Fountains and Squares Tour
Aix-end-Provence is known for its fountains. With more than 1,000 fountains, a tourist could spend weeks walking around the city without glimpsing them all. The fountains began appearing under the Roman empire when the Romans discovered Aix's natural thermal water source. They referred to the area as Aquae Sextiae or the Waters of Sextius.
The fountains appear throughout the city and are... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
The fountains appear throughout the city and are... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Aix-en-Provence Introduction Walking Tour
Aix-en-Provence may not have coastal views, but it compensates in style with its Roman bathwater and city logistics. Founded in 123 BC by Roman consul Gaius Sextius Calvinus, this southern French settlement鈥攐riginally named Aquae Sextiae, which means 鈥淲aters of Sextius鈥濃�攚as built around its thermal springs and the promise of a good soak. Centuries later, the name was streamlined to... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles