Palace of the Counts of Provence At the highest point of the city, on the Southern side, the Counts of Provence added onto the fortifications in the 11th century, building a tower and a thick-walled castle whose southern wall was integrated in, and extended the ramparts. The Counts’ palace was developted in 1264 and in 1297 during his stay, Count Charles II signed the edict setting up the Revenue Court. It was in the Palace’s coucil room that the edict setting up the Parliament of Provence was signed on the 28th November 1502.

The Parliament settled in Aix in 1503 and stayed in Brignoles on serveral occasions, including to get away from the plague in 1506 and in 1631. In 1512, the council settled in the palace, which then became the city hall and school. Then in 1580, the Revenue Court settled there. An audience room was built to that effect over the chapel, for the Court. In 1791, the judicial court and justice of peace took over the ground floor and the barracks the first and second floor. In 1795, the administrative and judicial authorities of the district came to Brignoles, which was a prefecture until 1798. The civil court sat in the Royal Palace until 1842, on which date the Palace became a sub-prefecture. It only moved in 1920 to where it is now. Time passed and the palace was sold to private people. It was rented to store bags or wheat, and used by the Red Cross as a dispensary. In 1945, the palace became the museum of the Brignoles area.

 

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