Situated on top of a large hill overlooking Marseille is the Church of Our Lady, Notre Dame de la Garde Basilica. It can be viewed from all parts of the city and was actually the first thing that we saw after stepping out of the train station during our visit. I didn't realize that it was a church then and thought that it might be a small castle.
After walking through the city streets and some relatively sketchy neighborhoods, you eventually come to the base of the small mountain on which the church was built.
From there you can climb up to the top via two different foot paths located on either side of the mountain. One more direct and much more plain with a staircase at the end to reach the church entrance. The other goes through a park with trees and some really nice desert landscaping. We went up one side and down the other and I much preferred the greener path myself.
Either way you take it's a bit of a hike though, or maybe more of a pilgrimage given the context. You can also access it by car if you prefer to drive but the parking lot isn't exactly huge, so keep that in mind.
The exterior of the building is decorated with alternating stonework of contrasting colors - white limestone followed by green sandstone that was brought in from Italy. This patterned stone work can be seen throughout the structure but is especially noticeable on the square shaped bell tower.
At its highest point the church is 154 meters tall, so as you can imagine the views from up there are pretty incredible.
There are several platforms that offer panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea, the small islands in the water and the various parts of the city itself.
When you walk around the church there is a very large cement balconcy that faces towards the Northwestern part of the city. From up there you can see just how big Marseille really is. I knew that it was the second largest city in France but seeing it from that height was something else.
It was almost mind boggling really. Its crazy to think of how many people can all live in one place. It felt like the buildings went on forever and its too bad that it wasn't a nicer day when we were there to really see things well. The cloudy haze (or maybe it was smog, I don't know) really hindered visibility. It was still impressive though nonetheless.
Given its location and the views, its not at all surprising that the Notre Dame is the most visited monument in the city of Marseille.
A Look Inside
The inside of the church is decorated in an elaborate fashion with exquisite marble work and brightly colored pictoral mosaics. It definitely exudes opulence and beauty.
The same alternating pattern seen outside carries into the interior as well, only this time it is made up of an alternating pattern of red and white Spanish marble.
One of my favorite features inside the church aside from the beautiful tile mosaics, were these boat and ship decorations that were hanging from the ceiling.
They were quite unique and seemed very fitting for a church that is situated near the city harbor.
There is also a crypt in the lower part of the church that you can visit but it was very small and very plain so I didn't bother taking any pictures in there.
Heading Down the Mountain
After viewing the church we made our way down the mountain on the opposite side from which we came.
Here is a photo of my wife making faces at me. Seeing the church was one of the first things that we did during our visit. We hadn't even been to our hotel yet so we were both still carrying our bags with us. We recently bought "carry on" travel backpacks to make travel easier and cheaper.
As I mentioned previously the path winds its way through a green space with cacti and other desert-like landscaping.
I don't know what these really tall and spindly plants are called but every time I see them I think of giant asparagus.
By walking around the church above and walking down the different paths you can get 360° view of the surrounding area. Each side is quite different as well which is pretty cool.
At the bottom of the hill on the edge of the park we saw a makeshift shelter that had been built into a small rocky overhang. The shelter was pretty impressive all things considered. It looked like they had some makeshift shelves and a seating area separate from their sleeping spot. It's sad that people have to live outdoors in a hole in some rocks but at the same time I couldn't help but admire their ingenuity.
In a previous post on Marseille I mentioned that the city has a large division between rich and poor and a major problem with poverty and you can see that even around the church.
But despite the somewhat sketchy neighborhoods in the surrounding area the Notre Dame church is definitely worth checking out in Marseille. It has some really great views, some very nice stonework inside and out and definitely one of the nicest interiors that I have seen in a church for quite some time. I would highly recommend it as something to do if you are ever in the city.
Wow what a beautiful church. I instantly thought of the churches in Florence, Italy when I saw the outside of this church. That is cool that the stone was brought from Italy. The inside is amazing and those views!
The spindly plant is an agave flowering! I noticed other desert plants like prickly pear too!
I've never been to Florence but would like to go.
Interesting. That's good to know. I've seen them around quite a bit and have been wondering for a long time now. Thanks!
I love how a green path takes you to a beautiful building on top of the hill. I think it's one of the best rewards you can get for your efforts when you sort of reach the top of the world and get a different vision over everything surrounding you :)
I totally agree. Very rewarding and great to see a different perspective. It would probably be great at dusk with the sunset
No doubt about it! Sunset it's pretty amazing from any place you are watching it tho :)
Well thats true haha 😄
Many of the churches and cathedrals were built on hills and mountains in most big cities in France which makes them look more towering and impressive. Glad the area surrounding the church has greenery and it looks like an interesting one to explore.
Comparing Marseille to Lyon for example from the vantage point, there's definitely a lack of greenery and open spaces in this photo.
I didn't imagine it to be so densely populated.
Yes definitely less green space than Lyon. We didn't see any city parks or anything. They might have had them but we didn't come across any and we walked a lot of the city. The harbor is more open but definitely very dense overall
Wow, Marseille is huge! I didnt realise it was so big and sprawling. It defo looked like smog obscuring the view!
The Church is beautiful. I love the architecture of these old buildings
Yeah massive. The day was cloudy and overcast but a city that size is definitely going to have some smog.
I've read that this historic church was built on top of an ancient fort's foundations. Construction began in 1853 and is said to have taken over 40 years. I could imagine the immense challenges of building a religious monument on an extremely high elevation, being on top of a large hill. Its interior is simply breathtaking! 😊
Yeah it's pretty cool how it was built on an old fort and definitely one of the nicest interiors that we have seen in a church.
I love this church and the view!! I visited it in August 2021, Marseille was my first destiny after my emigration, and I fell in love with its landscapes and nature. Thanks for reminding me such a beautiful place!
That's awesome that you've been there and really liked it. First destinations tend to have that effect.
Such a great location! You can see the whole city from there. I was reading your post on Marseille and it is true that the city may not feel like an special singular point when visiting France at first, but I think the city has a special charm.
Great phtotos! Glad you enjoyed your visit to the desert :D
Yeah everybody has their own preferences for travel destinations. I think part of the reason we weren't huge fans was due to weather. When the weather is cloudy and overcast and dreary like we had it just doesn't seem all that nice as when the weather is bright and sunny.
Notre Dame de la Garde is very imposing and I love that you can see it from many parts of the city, the church is stunning both inside and out a real place where you can come and sit for a few moments in prayer.
Yeah it's pretty cool that you can see it from all around the city.
Breathtaking! Both the church and the view!
A masterpiece of architecture.
But first thing first, I must congratulate you for walking all this way up...
Thank you for your beautiful post!
It was worth the hike up.
We do a lot of walking on our trips.
Me too, but steps and stairs are nowadays a big no (from my doctor).
I can't wait when I get the green light to go hiking again.
Cheers!
How this building was built?
I'm not sure exactly. I guess masons and laborers?
This is breathtakingly beautiful.
Thanks. 😁
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you had an amazing photo thanks for sharing😉😉
I'm glad you liked them 😊
wow, all the pictures you show look amazing
Thanks! 😁
Gracias por mostrarnos un lugar tan bonito 👏👏👏👏
You're welcome! 😄