Notre Dame de la Garde, Marseille

Notre Dame de la Garde, Marseille

Situated on the highest spot in Marseilles at 162 metres above sea level, the Notre-Dame de la Garde is a 19th century basilica built to replace a 13th century namesake chapel that was also dedicated to dedicated to Our Lady of the Guard and bursting with the ex-votos of sailors.

Situated on the highest spot in Marseilles at 162 metres above sea level, the Notre-Dame de la Garde is a 19th century basilica built to replace a 13th century namesake chapel that was also dedicated to dedicated to Our Lady of the Guard and bursting with the ex-votos of sailors. Constructed on the foundations of a 16th century fort, it has a Romanesque style lower church and a Neo- Byzantine upper church.

It is built in alternating bands of white Calissane limestone and green Florentine sandstone. The 41 metre high square bell tower above the entrance porch has a statue of an angel blowing the trumpet at each of its terrace corners. It is surmounted by a 12.5 metre belfry with red granite columns, on which stands the iconic statue of the Virgin and Child. The 11.2 metre statue of La Bonne Mère, as it is fondly called, was sculpted by Lequesne in bronze with gold leaf plating.

The interiors feature red-and-white marble, mosaics, and murals. The white marble altar by by Henri Révoil has a base of 5 gilded bronze arches on lapis lazuli colonettes. Behind the altar stands a silver statue of the Virgin on a red marble column with gilded capital supports. While the upper church is grandly decorated, the crypt is austere. The statue of the Virgin of the Bouquet stands behind the Gololina stone altar. There are 6 side chapels corresponding to the upper church. The walls on both levels are covered with numerous ex-votos including paintings, plaques, model boats, and even football shirts of Olympique de Marseille, the local football club.