It’s so easy to pass by the buildings without noticing their beauty… But some times something catches your eye. This time it was the relief of a woman holding something in her hand above a doorway. Only later I noticed, that it was a ship that she’s holding, and that she rises her head from the sea. There she is, with fishes and sea plants…
Too bad I didn’t come to take a close up to see the name of the artist. It can be found on the left corner. Well, I’ll add it if or when I find it…
It’s a pity that I forgot to take part in the CDP’s August theme day, when the theme was street lights. As in Marseille I’ve become to enjoy the modern street lamps (alongside with the old style lampadaires, of course). Here’s one example, a perfectly round streetlamp attached onto a wall of an old building. Wild guess: it’s from the 60’s?
That was the first expression that came to my mind to describe these statues standing in front of the temporary Pavillon in Marseille’s old harbor district. The statues, too, are there temporarily. Last time I visited they weren’t there yet, and next time I go… I wonder will I see them again.
I couldn’t find out whose work it is, but they’re quite fun, aren’t they. And at least catching the passersby’s attention!
When you walk along the streets of Le Panier district in Marseille, you will definitely notice the red lines painted on the streets. What are those for, you might ask. Well, they are there to mark the site of the original settlement of Massalia, the city that the Phoceans established some 2600 years ago. Amazing thought, isn’t it?
“Are you taking a picture of me?!” laughed the man in front of the Marseille soap shop. No, I wasn’t really, he just happened to stand in front of the door, like a guard, or a husband waiting for his wife who never comes out. But then when he turned around, smiled and said what he said, then it became a photo of a Marseille man in front of a soap shop.
When I visited Marseille in January this year, a worker of Maison Diamantée invited me to take a look of the marvellous wooden panels in the building’s staircase. I had put my camera away at that time, and now that I visited Marseille again, I absolutely wanted to go and take a photo of this superb structure.
It’s special, isn’t it? It was ordered by the rich merchants of Marseille, and later, when the house was divided into apartments after the Revolution, common people had been admiring it. And now it’s our turn. Not many tourist probably visit here, but just to take a look, do go. It’s something that will stay in your mind. At least it did stay in my mind so that I wanted to see it again…
Just behind the Hôtel de Ville of Marseille and right next to the M Pavillon is located one of Marseille’s most interesting buildings, the Maison Diamantée. It has been named after the special, diamond-shaped bricks on its facade.
The building was constructed in late 17th or early 18th century by rich Italian and Spanish merchants. In the place used to be the gardens of an earlier Provencal castle. It has been inhabited by the great Marseille families and later by Italian immigrants and port workers.
In the beginnig of the 20th century it had gotten in a very bad shape, and luckily was bought out by the city, and renovated. It was listed as a historical monument in 1925.
During the Marseille’s European Culture Capital year it houses an information center. Do take a look also inside, there’s a wonderful paneled staircase, of which I show you a picture tomorrow…
Here is the M Pavillon seen from a distance. It’s built only for the Marseille 2013 European Culture Capital year, and will be dismantled later on. It houses an exhibition space (on Marseille and its regions) and an info center.
The pavilion is located in the old port, next to the Hôtel de ville, and it’s open every day 11am-8pm (entrace is free of charge). Recommended!
Here’s a picture from inside of the Pavillon made for the Marseille’s European Culture Capital year. There are many things to see, but I liked this animation on the left the best: it shows how (and where) Marseille was born and how it has grown and changed little by little. It’s amazing to see, that the city expanded to the right side of the port only after the 3rd Empire!
If you have a chance, do go and see it. Visits are free of charge, and you can stroll around in your own pace.
My Marseille blog comes late with the CDP September theme, which was pink. Actually, in Marseille, there were many pink things to choose from. Do the Marseille people love pink, or what?
Here are anyway two pinkies, that are linked with the 2013 Marseille-Provence European Culture Capital year. The pavillon behind is built only for this year, and it’s a good place to start the visit. The rhino then… Well, maybe it presents the rhinoceros that once live on the If island? It was a gift from pope to some king (Spanish, was it?), but the ship that had to make a stop-over at the If island in front of Marseille. So, for a little while, the rhino stayed in the island. Later, when the ship continued its way, it unfortunately wrecked, and in the end the king got the popes present stuffed.
Marseille in my view 