Old Port
Quick Summary
The Old Port (Vieux-Port) is Marseille, France's natural harbor, established by Greek settlers around 600 BCE. Sheltered by limestone hills, it facilitated trade between the Mediterranean and northern Europe. Historically, it attracted diverse populations, serving seamen and merchants, and is home to France's oldest chamber of commerce.
While much of its historic architecture was destroyed during World War II, the area around the Old Port has undergone significant urban renewal, becoming largely pedestrianized. It remains a vibrant waterfront, evoking a sense of connection to distant lands and serving as a focal point for the city's cultural life and maritime traditions.123
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MarseilleThe city siteThe Old Port is a natural harbor and one of the most westerly of the inlets along the rocky coastline characteristic of the northeastern Mediterranean; farther west, beyond a large tidal lake called the Berre Lagoon (Étang de Berre), the shoreline flattens out. There the sandy…
Read MoreThe Old Port is a natural harbor and one of the most westerly of the inlets along the rocky coastline characteristic of the northeastern Mediterranean; farther west, beyond a large tidal lake called the Berre Lagoon (Étang de Berre), the shoreline flattens out. There the sandy…
Read More- MarseilleAntiquity and the Middle Ages
…formed a republic around the Old Port, though the upper part of the city and its southern suburb remained under ecclesiastical jurisdiction. The counts of Provence allowed the city great independence, and only in 1245 and 1256 did Charles of Anjou force acknowledgement of his sovereignty. After Marseille was sacked…
Read More…formed a republic around the Old Port, though the upper part of the city and its southern suburb remained under ecclesiastical jurisdiction. The counts of Provence allowed the city great independence, and only in 1245 and 1256 did Charles of Anjou force acknowledgement of his sovereignty. After Marseille was sacked…
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