Our Lady of the Guard is the most iconic basilica
of Marseille. Did you know that the famous golden statue which
Is the city watch actually the fifth of its name?
This is the story of the five Virgins and Child who have
succeeded one another since the 13th century.
The monumental statue gilded with gold leaf (1870)
When you look up towards Notre-Dame, you greet the Virgin and Child who shines in her golden robe and watches over Marseille. It is the fifth statue of that name.
In 1870, the architect Eugène Lequesne won the construction competition. Gilded with gold leaf every 5 years, it measures 11,2 meters in height.
Notre-Dame de la Garde has an interior staircase now closed to the public — those who were lucky enough to access it remember seeing all of Marseille through the eyes of the Virgin.
Our Lady the Brown — the first statue (13th century)
La first Virgin and Child date and goes back to 13(entering XNUMXth grade) century, while the building is a chapel. It is a wooden statue that the faithful called Our Lady the BrownYou can admire a copy in the left side chapel of the Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde.
In 1651, the Silver Virgin or Virgin with the monstrance It came to coexist with the first statue. During the Revolution, both statues disappeared. The Virgin with the monstrance was sent to be melted down.
In 1807, a parishioner offered a wooden statue of Mary, purchased at auction. A bouquet of flowers was added to adorn her hand. Hence its name The virgin with the bouquet. It is located in the crypt.
The Virgin with the Monstrance and the Virgin with the Bouquet (17th-19th centuries)
In 1651, a silver Virgin—known as the Virgin of the Monstrance—was placed alongside the original statue. During the French Revolution, both statues disappeared. The revolutionaries sent the Virgin of the Monstrance to be melted down. In 1807, a parishioner donated a wooden statue of Mary purchased at auction. A bouquet had been added to adorn her hand, hence its name, the Virgin of the Bouquet. She
The second Silver Virgin of Our Lady
In 1837, the artist Chanel created a new silver statue of the VirginYou can admire it on the high altar of the Basilica. Cardinal Louis Maurin crowned it in 1931, in the presence of 49 bishops and the papal legate, Cardinal Louis Maurin. A copy of this statue was made. The artisans created a lighter replica. This is the one carried in the procession on the evening of August 14th.
The processional statue (19th century)
Created for major liturgical occasions, this fifth representation is the lightest of the statues of Our Lady of the Guard. Designed to be carried in procession by the faithful, it embodies the popular and vibrant dimension of Marian devotion in Marseille.
Every year on August 15th, thousands of people from Marseille gather for the Feast of the Assumption around this statue, which is carried in procession through the streets of the city.
From the hotel rooms Belle-Vue On the Old Port, the Good Mother watches over you all
at night. A view that our clients often describe as unforgettable.
→ Book a room with a view of Notre-Dame de la Garde
https://hotelbellevuemarseille.com/chambres/
