Marseille Cathedral

Cathedral of Saint Mary Major Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure
Façade of the cathedral in 2023
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
District	Archdiocese of Marseille
Rite	Roman
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Cathedral
Location
Location	Marseille, France
Geographic coordinates	43°17′59″N 5°21′54″E
Architecture
Type	Church
Style	Romanesque (old cathedral) Romanesque-Byzantine Revival (new cathedral)

Marseille Cathedral (French: Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure de Marseille or Cathédrale de la Major) is a Roman Catholic cathedral and a national monument of France. Located in Marseille, it has been a basilica minor since 1896. It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Marseille (the Diocese of Marseille until its elevation in 1948).

Old cathedral

Part of the earlier, much smaller, cathedral still remains, alongside the new cathedral. It was built in the 12th century in a simple Romanesque style. The eclectic style is characteristic of the 19th century. Two bays of the nave were demolished in the 1850s, when the new cathedral was built. What remains is the choir and one bay of the nave, which is commonly referred to as the "Vieille Major". The composer Charles Desmazures was organist at the old cathedral.

New cathedral

The present cathedral, the "Nouvelle Major", was built on an enormous scale in the Byzantine and Roman Revival styles. The foundation stone was laid by Emperor Napoleon III in 1852, and the first service was held in 1893. It was completed in 1896, given the title of minor basilica, and consecrated in 1897. It was built on the site used for the cathedrals of Marseille since the 5th century, principally by the architects Léon Vaudoyer and Henri-Jacques Espérandieu (1829-1874). It is 142 m (469 ft) long, and the main cupola is 70 m (231 ft) high. With a capacity of 3,000 seats, it is one of the largest cathedrals in France, covering a total of 7,680 square metres. It is a listed monument since 1906.

Gallery

• 
  The old Cathedral
• 
  Exterior of the new Cathedral
• 
  Interior of the new Cathedral
• 
• 

See also

• This cathedral should not be confused with the more famous basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde, also in Marseille.
• List of works by Eugène Guillaume
• List of works by Louis Botinelly
• Maurice Dubourg

References

• Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure at Structurae
• Old Sainte-Marie-Majeure Cathedral at Structurae

External links

• Ministère de la Culture: Archive photographs of the new cathedral