Porte d'Aix, Marseille, France

Porte d'Aix (also known as the Porte Royale) is a triumphal arch in Marseille, marking the old entry point to the city on the road from Aix-en-Provence. The classical design by Michel-Robert Penchaud was inspired by the triumphal arches of the Roman Empire. The Porte d’Aix was initially conceived in 1784 to honour Louis XVI and to commemorate the Peace of Paris (1783) that ended the American Revolutionary War. Following the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in 1814-15, the project was resumed in 1823, now to commemorate French victories in the Spanish Expedition, notably at the Battle of Trocadero, August 31, 1823. It was eventually completed in 1839, with a more general theme of victory.

References:

Wikipedia

Miscellaneous historic sites in France

User Reviews

Corey Gillies (4 months ago)
DO NOT GO ! It’s surrounded by homeless people and the smell is horrible . There is rubbish everywhere. Please avoid

Timi (5 months ago)
Nice place to visit in Marseille. A lot of locals nearby.

Jarne Barrette (11 months ago)
Cosy place with some bars around. Also the gate itself is beautiful to look at.

Jose De Jesus (15 months ago)
This monument as I would call it is nice and simple. Not as some of the other ones we visited in Marseilles and came across walking to different destination but not much to it and would not recommend a walk to just see it

Ralph N (16 months ago)
It’s interesting enough to go by and take a photo, but I would not go out of my way to visit here. Gets a bit dodgy at night.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Fagerjord

Historic Site of the week

Santa Maria in Trastevere

The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere is one of the oldest churches of Rome. The basic floor plan and wall structure of the church date back to the 340s, and much of the structure to 1140-43. The first sanctuary was built in 221 and 227 by Pope Callixtus I and later completed by Pope Julius I.

The inscription on the episcopal throne states that this is the first church in Rome dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus, although some claim that privilege belongs to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. A Christian house-church was founded here about 220 by Pope Saint Callixtus I (217-222) on the site of the Taberna meritoria, a refuge for retired soldiers. The area was made available for Christian use by Emperor Alexander Severus when he settled a dispute between the Christians and tavern-keepers.

The church underwent two restorations in the fifth and eighth centuries and in 1140-43 it was re-erected on its old foundations under Pope Innocent II.

Porte d'Aix

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historical Gems of Costa Verde

Timeless Treasures of Wales

Historic Site of the week

Santa Maria in Trastevere