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Marseille

Excursion tour in Marseille. Top architecture - monuments, castles, temples and palaces

Navette pour Les iles Frioul - Marseille Let’s move further. The upcoming famous architecture monuments of Marseille that deserve to be mentioned are Marseille Cathedral, Museum of Fine Arts, La Vieille Charite, Stade Velodrome, Aix-Marseille University, Marseilles City Hall, and Abbey of Saint Victor. An overview of interesting facts and a collection of photographs are available for each monument. In order to plan a route for your real-life sightseeing tour in Marseille, use our interactive map of sights in of Marseille that is available below this article.

Marseille Cathedral, Marseille

» Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure is located at the site of the wooden church built in the 5th century, which is proved by excavations. In the late 19th century, it was decided to demolish the old building upon the order of Napoleon III. The citizens were not satisfied with this decision and held a protest demonstration.
»  The old building was not dismantled completely. The new cathedral was built near it. The locals call it “strips on the pajamas” for its colorful exterior.
»  The main construction materials are white marble granite, laminate onyx, limestone, and green Florentine stone. Pink stone adds certain flavor to the exterior.
»  The inner walls are faced with marble and mosaics. As for the color palette, red gradually changes to golden.
»  High stained glass windows transmit much daylight. There are a lot of sculptures and bas-reliefs.
»  There is an altar in the center of the hall. It is supported by columns and a dome.
»  The room can accommodate 3 thousand people. The building is 142 m long and 70 m high.
»  Its impressive size symbolizes the significance of the city as one of the largest ports in France.

Museum of Fine Arts, Marseille

» The New Government decided to build the museum after the change of political power in 1801. It presents exhibits that have a cultural value. They were seized from the people in power and the church.
»  The art gallery specializes in art and sculpture of the 16th-19th century. Here, you can see canvasses not only of domestic, but also of foreign masters. There are paintings of artists of the Art School of Provence.
»  The smaller second sector presents canvasses of Italian artists living in the 16th-18th centuries. Here, you can see a lot of rare paintings.
»  Auguste Rodin presented one of his sculptures to the museum. The collection of the belongings of Pierre Puget, a sculptor, an architect, and a woodcarver, is one of the biggest in the country.
»  Besides permanent exhibitions, private ones are also organized here. Items are transferred from other cultural institutions.
»  Old Palais Longchamp built in the middle of the 19th century became a place where art exhibitions are held.
»  The parking area around the building is also impressive. It is divided into two parts, French and English. There are a cascade fountain and an observatory. The second part of the palace is occupied with the Natural History Museum.

La Vieille Charite, Marseille

» In the 17th century, the charitable institution was built here in accordance with the project of the French architect. It was constructed at the expense of the Marseilles philanthropist.
»  The disabled and the elders lived here. In 1760, their number exceeded a thousand people.
»  The architectural complex that consists of four buildings was built of pink and white stone from the local quarry.
»  The almshouse has the shape of the rectangular that has the total area of 112х96 m. There are no windows on the outer walls. There is also a patio, to which open doorways lead.
»  The inner gallery was built to let visitors get to the House of Prayer from any point. There is a church in the center. It is decorated with multiple sculptures.
»  The hip-and-valley roof is painted brown and red. Niches above the doors are decorated with symbolic pictures depicting the Charity. Rectangular windows are situated under the vault.
»  Today, the building presents exhibits of the Archeology Museum. There are also offices of scientific institutions and a library. Different exhibitions are organized here.

Stade Velodrome, Marseille

» The Velodrome is a city sports complex. It started to be built in 1933.
»  In 1937, the opening ceremony was visited by 30 000 people. The cycling race, the sprint, and football matches were held here.
»  During the Second World War, the territory of the stadium served as a parking area for military vehicles from different countries.
»  Today, the sports ground serves as a football pitch. Europe and World Football Championships took place here.
»  The French rugby team also played at the arena. Concerts were held here.
»  Cycle paths were removed in the middle of the 80s and replaced by stands. The stadium had a capacity of 40 000 seats.
»  According to the official version, 58 848 people visited the semifinal of the match between France and Portugal in 1984.
»  The new sports ground was built.
»  It cost €267 million.
»  5.5 tons of roofing sheets will be necessary for the reconstruction of the stadium.
»  The number of seats will increase up to 80 000.
»  It is also planned to build a hotel, a shopping center, a sports clinic, and offices.
»  Each of the four stands is named after an eminent citizen.

Aix-Marseille University, Marseille

» The higher education institution includes five separate zones for students. One of them is located in Aix-en-Provence and four - in Marseille. The main building is located in Marseille too.
»  Aix-Marseille University was founded in 1409. This was promoted by French King Louis II.
»  Modern AMU was opened in 2012. The institution has an academic status.
»  Here, students can get professional education for the following specialties: political science, economic management, human sciences, medicine, and technological developments.
»  Many eminent figures, for example, the President (1973), the writer and the winner of the International Award Clézio, graduated from the university.
»  71 000 students study here. There are 10 000 foreign students. Entrants come here from 128 countries. They are taught by 4 000 teachers.
»  The library network consists of 59 libraries, which fund includes 662 000 books and 20 000 periodicals. All the bookcases are 50 km long in total.
»  Aix-Marseille is among the 5 best academic institutions.
»  Its financial fund is $650 million.

Marseilles City Hall, Marseille

Location on the map:
Facts: » In the city center, there is a construction that has not been destroyed over time. It started to be built in 1653. Before this, there had been a house where hearings were conducted and the Superior Court sat.
»  A new city hall was built upon the order of the King to raise the status of Marseille. The first stone was laid in the foundation by the city bishop.
»  The construction was ceased due to the lack of money. The building was completed in 20 years.
»  As it was built of stone, it resembles a palace but not an official institution.
»  The facade was decorated by the team of sculptors. They created a Marseilles emblem and placed the statue of the King here.
»  The rails of stairs have the shape of small columns. They are decorated with patterns of climbing plants.
»  The windows on the ground floor are arched. At the second level, they are rectangular.
»  There are no doorways to the second level. To reach it, you need to go through the passage of the house behind the municipality.
»  The main staircase runs around the city hall on both sides.
»  The carved grille, shaped parts of the gate, and the patio match the design of the whole building. You can see traders on the ground floor of the city hall. Two buildings are linked by a stone bridge constructed in 1786.

Abbey of Saint Victor, Marseille

Location on the map:
Facts: » According to the chronicles, the building was constructed in the 5th century. Later, militant nomads destroyed it. The Catholic monastery was rebuilt in the 11th century.
»  The dwelling is named after the warrior and martyr St. Victor who lived in the 3rd century. It was executed upon the order of the nobles for his refusal to participate in the rite of sacrificing to gods.
»  In the abbey, there is a preserved crypt with bishops’ relics dating back approximately to the 4th century.
»  There is the Black Madonna in the form of the ebony statuette. It is displayed to celebrate the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Parishioners light green candles symbolizing hope.
»  Today, the monastery is not working. However, its church still welcomes visitors.
»  The building is fenced with the notched protective wall. The Abbey of Saint Victor resembles a fortification with its exterior: it has thick walls with loopholes and rectangular towers. There is a bell on one of it. The exterior is plain.
»  During the French Revolution, the halls of the abbey were turned into a barn where prisoners were detained. There were also barracks for soldiers.
»  There is the altar of white marble (the 5th century), the sculpture of the Great Martyr, and the organ.
»  You need to go through the arched stone doorway to get inside.
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