The old part of Marseille, only a few buildings - the original construction, and the rest were recovered in the second half of the last century. During the Second World War, the area that served as a hiding place for members of the resistance movement, subjected to the most violent attacks, so many of the buildings there had been destroyed by the Nazis.

Of the oldest surviving buildings of the most famous are three houses that were built in the XVI century. This town hall, house consul Louis de Cabra (Hotel de Cabra) and the so-called Diamond House. The building today houses the town hall and city hall, and in the Diamond House in 1967 opened a museum of old Marseille, where you can see a large collection of works of applied art in the traditional Provencal style, including the furniture and costumes. The museum presents the history of the city since the XVII century.

The mansion, called "diamond", was built in the late XVI century (about 1570-1576 years), his first owner was a wealthy merchant Pierre cardiology, and later it settled the first mayor of the city. Also lived in the mansion of the Marquis de Castellane-Majastres, in whose honor in Marseille was named one of the squares. During the Great French Revolution, the building was nationalized and turned into a home for immigrants from Italy and port workers.

The name of the house was due to the original processing of stones from which complex facade. Processed rocks really look like cut diamonds. The house is located on the street Prison, near the town hall. The mansion is a historical monument since 1925. Despite his age, the building is well preserved, inside you can even see part of the original design - the staircase, built together with the building itself.