Cathédrale de la Major, Marseille

Cathédrale de la Major, Marseille

The Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure de Marseille is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and the seat of the Archdiocese of Marseille.

The Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure de Marseille is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and the seat of the Archdiocese of Marseille. The imposing neo-Byzantine structure of Nouvelle Major was built in 1852-'96 to designs by Léon Vaudoyer on the site of the previous 12th century Romanesque cathedral, incorporating the latter's choir and a nave bay. Laid out as a Latin Cross, the Cathedral has a length of 146 meters, making it one of the largest churches in France. The towers flanking the main portico of the façade rise 60 meters high, while the central dome soars at 70 metres with a diameter of 17.5 metres. The surface of the church is made up of alternating bands of white Cassis stone and green Florentine marble, giving it a unique look. The architrave above the vault of the porch features a row of 7 niches with statues of Christ in the centre surrounded by the apostles Peter and Paul , Saint Lazarus, and his companions Martha, Maximin, and Marie-Madeleine. The tympanum of the central portal has a marble relief of 'The Crowning of the Virgin', while the side doors have 'The Symbol of the Resurrection', and 'The Mystical Lamb and The Fountain of Life'.

The voluminous interiors feature a 20 metre high nave with 3 bays covered by transverse vaults. The floor, dome, and arches have multicolored mosaics from the Venetian school. Of note is Augustus Carli's marble sculpture of 'Veronica Wiping the Face of Fallen Jesus' in the 3rd span. The main altar in Carrara marble is decorated with mosaics by Henri Antoine Revoil and housed in a pavilion with a bronze ciborium supported by 4 Tunisian onyx columns. To the left is the Chapel of the Chapter dedicated to the Sacred Heart, while on the right is the Saint Lazare Chapel housing a reliquary with the saint's arms and skull. Among the radiant chapels of the ambulatory, the Chapel of the Virgin is of note for housing the tomb of Saint Eugene de Mazenod, former Bishop of Marseille.

The square in front of the Cathedral has the statue of Monseigneur de Belsunce , who was bishop of Marseille during the last great plague epidemic in 1720.