Place des Quatre Dauphins

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Place des Quatre Dauphins.
Middle of the square in the evening light.
One of the four dolphin heads.

The Place des Quatre Dauphins is a square square in the middle of the Mazarin quarter in Aix-en-Provence , at the intersection of Rue Cardinal (west-east direction) and Rue du 4th Septembre.

description

The three-story houses surrounding the square all come from the same era and were designed together with the square. The square is arranged symmetrically on the central axes of the two streets with an edge length of 30 × 30 meters. In the middle there is a small marble baroque fountain with four dolphin sculptures , the so-called Fontaine des Quatre-Dauphins .

It was made in 1667 by Jean-Claude Rambot (1621–1694). Four water-spouting dolphin figures pointing downwards along the four axes of the road are grouped around a central obelisk and surrounded by all kinds of aquatic animals and plants. In the Golden Age, this allegorical grouping refers to the interests of rulership north of Provence, the Dauphiné region , which has been ruled by the king in an absolutist way since 1628 . This group of figures rests on a square capital- shaped pedestal, in whose baroque-style corners four coats of arms are embedded above the water level. The circular, knee-high fountain bowl measures around four and a half meters in diameter. The dolphin ( French dauphin ) is the emblem of the historic, northern Dauphiné landscape, which corresponds to the departments of Isère , Drôme and Hautes-Alpes . As a heraldic animal, the dolphin is accordingly part of the coats of arms of these three departments.

The fountain has been registered in the register of cultural heritage since 1905. This fountain should not be confused with the fountain of the same name in the park of the State Bank in Aix-en-Provence, which was placed under protection in 1929.

The Hôtel de Boisgelin , a Hôtel particulier from 1655 on the northeast corner of the square, is also by Rambot . Opposite on the southeast corner is the Hôtel de Foresta from 1667, whose facade and stairwells were listed as a historical monument in 1990. Further clockwise on the south-west corner is the Hôtel de Gastaud , 37 rue Cardinale. Finally, in the fourth quarter is the Hôtel de Valori , 18 rue du Quatre-Septembre, which was built in 1750 by Joachim de Beausset. A chestnut is planted at each of the four corners.

history

The development of the square took place after the southern city wall had been laid down. On February 15, 1645 the decision was made in the city council of Aix-en-Provence. The architect of this city quarter was Jean Lombard (1580–1656). The streets of the city at that time, running at any angle to each other, were no longer considered to be contemporary in the Age of Enlightenment . Accordingly, all streets were laid out according to the Hippodamian scheme .

Web links

Commons : Place des Quatre-Dauphins  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ PA00081008 , Monuments historique, Ministry of Culture and Communication
  2. ↑ PA00081011 , Monuments historique, Ministry of Culture and Communication
  3. ↑ Hôtel de Gastaud (ou hôtel de Foresta ou hôtel de Montéty), PA00081496 , Monuments historique, Ministry of Culture and Communication
  4. ↑ Structurae , 20015014

Coordinates: 43 ° 31 '31.1 "  N , 5 ° 27' 0.7"  E