The origins of the Pharo Palace
The Pharo Palace is an elegant imperial residence presented to Napoleon III by the City of Marseille. Its name derives from ‘farot’, the name of the hill that once overlooked the sea and on which a watchtower stood, already marked on maps as early as the 14th century.
In order to provide the emperor with a seaside residence, the city made this exceptional plot of land available. The palace was then built by the architect Hector Lefuel, who drew inspiration from architectural styles of the past. He went on to continue his career, notably completing work on the Louvre and the Nouvelles Tuileries.
Napoleon III, however, never stayed at the Palais du Pharo. After his death in 1873, his wife, Empress Eugénie, eventually handed the building over to the City of Marseille.
The medical history of Marseille
In 1904, the Palais du Pharo changed its purpose and became a specialist educational institution. Initially known as the Training School of the Colonial Troops’ Medical Service, it later became the Institute of Tropical Medicine of the Armed Forces’ Medical Service.
For over a century, until its closure in 2013, the Pharo trained nearly 8,000 doctors, pharmacists and technicians – both civilian and military – destined to practise in the overseas territories. It was also the only military institute in Europe entirely dedicated to tropical medicine.
