For centuries, Marseille has lacked clean water. The inhabitants of the city often suffered from infectious diseases. In 1835, a cholera epidemic hit the city, killing tens of thousands of people. Something had to be done. Without a proper water system, life in Marseille would have come to a halt.
The city authorities decided to lay a canal 53 km long from the Durance River to Marseille. The funds for the construction of the Marseille Canal (canal de Marseille) were collected by the entire city. In order to receive the necessary amount faster, the authorities increased taxes from the population.
The Palais Longchamp was built in honor of the opening of the canal. The building served technical purposes - a water tower was hidden behind a magnificent facade. The first stone of the palace was laid in November 1839 by the Duke of Orleans, but it took another thirty years to complete the intended project.
Water came to the city in 1850, and the palace was completed only by 1869. The project was supervised by an experienced architect Henri-Jacques Esperandieu. The pompous palace complex Longchamp resembled the entrance to the park of Versailles. Esperandieu built a magnificent palace - a veritable hymn to clean water. The central object of the architectural composition of Palais Longchamp was the cascade fountain "Chateau d'Eau" (today it is among the ten most beautiful fountains in the world).

Ten-meter sculptural group of the fountain depicts a foursome of Camargue bulls pulling a chariot. The bulls are driven by a tall woman, the symbol of the Durance River. Two other female figures with fruits and ears in their hands represent hope, fertility and joy. The water from the fountain flows into the middle pool and enters the underground pipes. From the pipes, water flows into the twelve small fountains along the cascading waterfall and descends by steps into the large pond in front of the palace.

Behind the fountain is a stylized stone grotto-arc, decorated with images of birds, flowers and nymphs. On the two sides of the arch are two portals. Their decor was designed by the animalist sculptor Antoine-Louis Bari. The two wings of the portals and the arch are flanked by semicircular Corinthian colonnades. The frieze above the columns is decorated with images of the signs of the Zodiac.

In the east wing of the Palais de Longchamp is the Museum of Fine Arts (musée des beaux-arts). There are paintings and sculptures from the 16th to 19th centuries. In the west wing is the Natural History Museum (Muséum d'histoire naturelle) with zoological and archaeological exhibitions and a separate room on Provençal history. The museum buildings are symmetrically arranged, but they are decorated differently.
Behind the palace begins a classic French park. There stands the Observatory, founded in 1702 by the Jesuit monks. The observatory is equipped with modern telescopes, but it also preserves the old astronomical equipment.

The palace park is called the Zoological garden, although animals are no longer kept there. On the site of the former zoo there are ancient pavilions with inscriptions and intricate decorations. Longchamp Palace Park is laid out on several levels and has children's play areas, lawns and flower beds. Part of the green complex is occupied by a landscaped garden in the English style. The picturesque garden alleys are lined with century-old elms, oaks and plane trees.

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