A glorious
day here after what we’ve become used to.
Sun shining, 18o. A
quick walk down to the Vieux Port (Old Port), a bustling hive of activity
around the harbour, which is lined with marinas containing expensive pleasure
craft alongside some very old sailing and working craft that still seem to be
in good order. We picked up our City
Passes from the Tourist Information Office then boarded the Tourist Train, a
three-carriage road train, for a leisurely ride around the port and up to the
Basilica Notre-Dame de la Garde, set on the highest point of Marseille and
providing commanding views over the city and to the surrounding mountains. Starting off as a defensive fort in the 16th
century because of its strategic position, successive defence buildings and
chapels were built until construction of the current basilica was finally
commenced in 1853. So it’s not all that
old, but its design is Roman-Byzantine, with domes, vaulted arches, mosaics and
the use of stone rather than the more modern brickwork available by then.
We then
jumped on a suburban bus, coming back down by another route and seeing more of
the residential areas. After a quick
lunch we walked up to the Cathedral de la Major, another relatively recent
addition, constructed between 1852 and 1896, in the neo-Byzantine style. It is on the site of the 12th
century Romanesque cathedral, traces of which can still be seen. Emperor Napoleon III laid the foundation
stone for this cathedral in 1852. The
interior is huge and, again, opulent. So
much to look at and take in.
We then
walked up, through the narrow streets, to the Ville Charité, once a hospice and now housing several
archaeological museums. We spent time
wandering through the Egyptian and Antiquity museums in awe of the relics
dating back to 3,500 BCE – many pieces stills intact. From there we wandered through the Panier,
the oldest district in Marseille, now with a touch of the Bohemian style, with
small art galleries, music studios, theatres and cafes, and lots of street art.
Quite a tiring day as
everything seems to be uphill, on cobbled paths or stone steps.
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