Remember Toby the elephant? He arrived in Marseille in 1856. He was about fifteen years old. The zoo wasn’t ready for him. They temporarily tied him to a ring in the rotunda. This is Le Pavillon de l’Eléphant. Right here.
Le Pavillon de l’Eléphant is a small building. It’s part of the larger Parc Longchamp complex. It originally served as shelter for the zoo’s elephants. It was part of the Marseille Zoological Garden. The zoo opened in 1854. It closed in 1987.
Imagine the scene. Toby a young elephant. He’s tethered in the middle of the rotunda. He’s waiting for his permanent home. The Pavilion wasn’t immediately ready. The zoo’s early days were chaotic. They had nearly 2500 animals. That included 2000 birds from 1250 different species. Dozens of mammal species were also present. Probably some reptiles too.
The Pavilion was eventually built. It’s a testament to the zoo’s history. When the animals died their remains enriched the neighboring museum. Many specimens there came from the zoo. The city owned the animals’ bodies. It supplied them to the museum and the Faculty of Science.
Le Pavillon de l’Eléphant fell into disrepair. It was renovated in 2013. Now it houses three colorful fiberglass elephants. They are part of the Funny Zoo. They are a modern addition. They bring a new life to this historic building.
Le Pavillon de l’Eléphant stands as a silent witness. It witnessed the bustling life of the zoo. It saw the arrival of elephants like Toby. It saw the zoo’s eventual closure. It now stands as a reminder of Marseille’s past. A past that is both rich and fascinating. And a reminder of the city’s relationship with its animal inhabitants.