Albertas Square

Albertas Square is a picturesque baroque square in Aix en Provence. In its central part there is a fountain from 1912. The square is surrounded by a three-story facade of the former palace of the Albertas family.

The Albertas family came to Aix en Provence in the 18th century. Its members sat in the parliament. In 1724, Henri d'Albertas hired the architect Laurent Vallon to create a new facade for his residence. A few years later, he also bought houses opposite the palace and demolished them to create a square open on one side. In the mid-18th century, his son, Jean-Baptiste d'Albertas, continued to build the palace and the square.

The houses on the square have the characteristics of a Provencal baroque. In the lower parts they have large windows and walls decorated with rustication, above it regular, symmetrical facades with small balconies under the windows. In 1912, students of the local art school designed a metal fountain in the shape of a bowl standing on a slender foot. It is harmoniously connected with the building of the square.