Pierre Puget's sculptures

Appointed by Colbert as director of decorations for the port of Toulon, in 1657 he signed what can be considered his masterpiece: the Atlantes supporting the balcony of the old town hall, which was located right here.

These 2 figures express all the strength and fatigue felt by the port's hard-working population, their gesture being that of the porters unloading sacks of grain from the ships. In front of the central voussoir is a large escutcheon stamped with the town's coat of arms and surmounted by a mascaron. Under the arch of the doorway we read: P. Puget - Pic Esc Arc M.T. (Pierre Puget, sculptor and architect from Marseille and Toulon).

During the Second World War, to avoid damage from bombing raids, the Atlantes and balcony were taken to the Abbaye du Thoronet for storage. After the war, they were returned to the carré du port to adorn the entrance to the building that replaced the former town hall and housed a naval museum from 1962 to 1981. The building was then converted into the Mairie d'Honneur and the Centre Audiovisuel et d'Information Municipal.