Marseille - Geography, History, Economy, Administration, Demographics, Climate, Culture, Sights, Transport, Births and deaths in Marseille, Gallery

43°18N 5°23E, pop (2000e) 837 000. Principal commercial port and capital of Bouches-du-Rhône department, S France; on NE shore of the Gulf of Lyon, 130 km/81 mi WSW of Nice; second largest city in France and leading port of the Mediterranean; founded c.600 BC by Greeks; Old Port (Vieux Port) on a rocky peninsula; airport; railway; metro; archbishopric; university; shipbuilding, chemicals, trade in minerals, oil refining, engineering, soap, glass, cigarettes, beverages, dairy produce, trade in fruit, wine, olive oil, vegetables, spices, hides; known for its bouillabaisse (fish soup); Church of St-Victor (11th–14th-c), 19th-c neo-Byzantine basilica of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde, town hall (1663–83), Cathédrale de la Major (1852–93), Cathédrale St Lazare (11th–12th-c), Musée des Beaux-Arts, New Harbour (Port Moderne); Basin de la Joliette used by passenger ships; international trade fair (Apr–Sep).

Ville de Marseille
City flag	Coat of arms
Motto: Actibus immensis urbs fulget Massiliensis. "By her great deeds, Marseille shines in the world"
Location
Coordinates	43°17′51″N, 5°22′38″E
Time Zone	CET (GMT +1)
Administration
Country	France
Région	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Département	Bouches-du-Rhône (13)
Subdivisions	16 arrondissements (in 8 secteurs)
Intercommunality	Urban Community of Marseille Provence Métropole
Mayor	Jean-Claude Gaudin  (UMP) (since 1995)
City Statistics
Land area¹	240.62 km²
Population²	2nd in France
- 2004 estimate	808,700
- Density	3,361/km² (2004)
Urban Spread
Urban Area	1,290 km² (1999)
- Population	1,349,772 (1999)
Metro Area	2,830.2 km² (1999)
- Population	1,516,340 (1999)
Miscellaneous
Postal code	13001-13016
Dialling code	0491
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers >
² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g.

Marseille, (English alt.

Geography

Marseille is the centre of a large metropolitan area.

The city's main thoroughfare, the wide boulevard called La Canebière, stretches eastward from the Old Port (Vieux Port/Panier quarter).

To the south east of central Marseille is the Prefecture and the roundabout Castellane (a bus and metro interchange) in the 7th arrondissement.

History

Marseille was founded in 600 BC by Greeks from Phocaea as a trading port under the name Μασσαλία (Massalia;

Marseille thrived as a Roman trading port. Emperor Charlemagne and the Carolingian dynasty granted civic power to Marseille, which remained a major French trading port until the medieval period.

Marseille soon revived its population and trading status in the Mediterranean and in 1437, the Count of Provence Rene of Anjou, who succeeded his father Louis II of Anjou, as King of Sicily and Duke of Anjou, arrived in Marseille and established it as France's most fortified settlement outside of Paris.

Marseille became a part of France in the 1480s but soon acquired a reputation for rebelling against the central government. During the eighteenth century the Ports defences were improved and Marseille became more important as France's leading military port in the Mediterranean. Jean-Baptiste Grosson, royal notary, who wrote from 1770 to 1791 the historical Almanac of Marseille published in 1773 a "Recueil des antiquités et des monuments marseillais qui peuvent intéresser l’histoire et les arts", (“Collection of antiquities and Marseilles monuments which can interest history and the arts”), which for a long time was the primary resource on the history of the monuments of the city.

During the twentieth century Marseilles celebrated its trading status and 'port of the empire' status through the colonial exhibitions of 1906 and 1922.

Modern

During the late twentieth century, the city served as an entrance port for millions of immigrants in France, hundreds of thousands of whom came in 1962 from Algeria.

After the oil crisis of 1973 and an economic downturn, Marseille became a haven for crime and high levels of poverty. Because of high levels of unemployment and a large immigrant population, Marseille is home to a large population of National Front supporters.

Politically, from 1950 to the mid 1980s, Marseille was dominated by its long term, six times re-elected mayor Gaston Defferre. The three most recent mayors are listed below:

1953-1986: Gaston Defferre PS (already mayor of 1944 to 1946, re-elected in 1959, 1965, 1971, 1977, 1983) 1986-1995: Robert Vigouroux RDSE (re-elected in 1989) 1995 -: Jean-Claude Gaudin UMP (re-elected in 2001 and 2004)

Economy

Historically the economy of Marseille was dominated by its role as a port of the French Empire, linking the North African colonies of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia with the French mainland. Fishing however still remains important in Marseille and the food economy of Marseille is dominated by the local catch with the daily fish market still on the Belgian Quay in the Old Port.

Even today the economy of Marseille is dominated by the port, which functions as commercial container port as well as a transport port for the Mediterranean sea. However all of Marseille's port activities now take place along the coast at the New Port (the Old port is too small for modern large ships to enter).

Marseille is a major French centre for trade and industry, with an excellent transportation infrastructure (roads, sea port and airport). Marseille acts as a regional nexus for entertainment in the south of France and has a high concentration of museums, cinemas, theatres, clubs, bars, restaurants, fashion shops, hotels and art galleries, all geared towards a tourist economy. In May, the French financial magazine L'Expansion named Marseille the most dynamic of France's large cities, citing figures showing that 7,200 companies had been created in the city since 2000. However Marseille remains a city with high unemployment against the European average and suffers a lack of jobs for its large immigrant population. Whilst much of the Marseille economy has been revitalised since its decay in the 1970s it still remains significantly stagnant in regards to growth compared with Paris and the old industrial regions of north-eastern France.

Administration

Marseille is divided into 16 municipal arrondissements, which are themselves divided into quartiers (111 in total).

Number of councilors elected by sector:

Sector	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Total
Sector councilors	22	16	22	30	30	26	32	24	202
Municipal councilors	11	8	12	13	15	13	16	12	100
Total number of elected officials	33	24	33	42	45	39	48	36	303

The Sector Mayors :

1st sector (1st and 7th arrondissements): Jean Roatta (Representative) UMP 2nd sector (2nd and 3rd arrondissements): Lisette Narducci (General Councilor) PS 3rd sector (4th and 5th arrondissements): Bruno Gilles (representative) UMP 4th sector (6th and 8th arrondissements): Dominique Tian (representative) UMP 5th sector (9th and 10th arrondissements): Guy Teissier (representative) UMP 6th sector (11th and 12th arrondissements): Roland Blum (representative) UMP 7th sector (13th and 14th arrondissements): Garo Hovsepian PS 8th sector (15th and 16th arrondissements): Frédéric Dutoit (representative) PCF

The cantons of Marseille :

Marseille holds 25 of the 58 seats at the general council of the Bouches-du-Rhône. General Councilor: Lisette Narducci PS (Mayor of the 2ème sector de Marseille) Marseille-Belsunce (pop. General Councilor: Antoine Rouzaud PS (Municipal councilor of Marseille) Marseille-La,Capelette (pop. General Councilor: Jean-Noël Guerini PS (Sénateur, Président du Conseil Général, Municipal councilor of Marseille) Marseille-Mazargues (pop. General Councilor: René Olmeta PS (Municipal councilor of Marseille) Marseille-La,Rose (pop. General Councilor: Denis Rossi PS (Municipal councilor of Marseille) Marseille-Sainte-Marguerite (pop. General Councilor: Martine Vassal UMP (Adjointe au Maire de Marseille) Marseille-Saint-Just (pop. General Councilor: Michel Pezet PS (Municipal councilor of Marseille) Marseille-Saint-Lambert (pop. General Councilor: Robert Assante UMP (Adjoint au Maire de Marseille) Marseille-Saint-Marcel (pop. General Councilor: Jean Bonat PS (Municipal councilor of Marseille) Marseille-Saint-Mauront (pop. General Councilor: Henri Jibrayel PS

Demographics

The population growth of Marseille followed the national average until the mid 20th century. By the mid 1950's Marseille, as France's largest sea port, experienced a massive demographic growth as a result of the thousands of immigrants arriving.

Climate

Marseille has a Mediterranean climate, with mild, dry winters and warm, humid summers.

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Avg high °C (°F)	10 (51)	11 (53)	14 (58)	17 (63)	21 (70)	25 (78)	28 (84)	28 (83)	25 (77)	20 (68)	14 (58)	11 (53)	18 (66)
Avg low °C (°F)	2 (37)	3 (38)	5 (42)	8 (47)	12 (54)	16 (61)	18 (66)	18 (65)	15 (60)	11 (52)	6 (44)	3 (38)	10 (50)
Source: Weatherbase

Culture

The place du Général de Gaulle in Marseille.

Marseille is a city that is proud of its difference from greater France. The French national anthem "La Marseillaise" was so named because it was first known as sung on the streets as a rallying call of the French Revolution by troops from Marseille.

In regards to literature and the arts, Marseille has been the birth place and home of many French writers.

Opera

Marseille's main cultural attraction was, since its creation at the end of the 18th century and until the late 1970s, the Opéra.

Sister cities

Glasgow (Scotland) Haifa (Israel) Yerevan (Armenia)

Music

The French rap band IAM is from Marseille Fonky Family Massilia Sound System Watcha Clan Paul Mauriat André Pascal Vincent Scotto Marius Petipa Jehro

Movies set in Marseille

Marseille has been the setting for films, both Hollywood and local French films. Tavarès (2003) La Lune dans le caniveau (1983) Love Actually (2003) Marius (1931) Marius et Jeannette (1997) Roselyne et les lions (1989) Taxi (1998) Taxi 2 (2000) Taxi 3 (2003) The French Connection (1971) French Connection II (1975) Trois places pour le 26 (1988) Un, deux, trois, soleil (1993)

Sights

Marseilles is classified as a significant centre of art and history.

1st and 2nd Arrondissements

The 1st and 2nd arrondissements are the site of most of Marseilles shops and attractions, which include:

The Old Port of Marseilles, also known as the Panier or the Vieux Port, is the main marina of the city. The Musee D'Histoire is the Marseille history museum, which contains records of the Greek and Roman history of Marseille as well as the most fully recovered hull of a 6th century boat in the world. The Musee de la Maritime is a small museum located in the old Chamber of Commerce, devoted to the sea economy of Marseille over the centuries. Pierre Puget park

Outside of Central Marseille

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde, built by the architect Jacques Henri Esperandieu is an enormous Romano-Byzantine basilica 1KM south of the Old Port. The Marseilles Stadium and Velodrome, where local football matches are held along with the Olympique de Marseille The Gare Saint-Charles - The main train station Unité d'Habitation, by the Swiss architect Le Corbusier The Hôtel-God Saint-Joseph Hospital The Palais de Longchamp is a grand colonnaded building. It houses two of Marseille's old museums - the Musee des Beaux-Arts and the natural history museum. Borély park Chanot park

Outside Marseille

The calanques - famous coastal features (can be visited by car or a bus from the Castellane) The local beaches such as Prado The abbey of Saint-Victor and its crypt which is the oldest place Christian worship in France Château d'If, an ancient prison on the island of If, where The Count of Monte Cristo was jailed, in the novel by Alexandre Dumas.

Transport

The city is served by an international airport, Aéroport de Marseille Provence, located in Marignane.

The train station Saint-Charles is Marseilles leading train station, the other being the Maritime station.

Marseille itself is connected by the metro train system consisting of 2 lines represented by orange and blue. Marseilles busiest Metro station is the Old Port - the Vieux Port, which is decorated with cobblestones and has fish tanks in the walls.

An extensive bus network serves the city and suburbs of Marseille. The dominant force in the sporting world of the city is the city's football club - Olympique de Marseille, UEFA Champions League winner in 1993.

Sailing is a major sport in Marseille.

Marseille has three golf courses to its north and north east.

Births and deaths in Marseille

Marseille was the birthplace of:

Antonin Artaud (1897-1948), author Maurice Béjart (born 1927), ballet choreographer Jean-Henry Gourgaud, aka. Mathieu Flamini, footballer Mathieu Ganio, (1984) danseur étoile (ballet dancer) Romain Barnier (born 1976), freestyle swimmer Sébastien Grosjean (born 1978), tennis player

The following personalities died in Marseille:

French poet Arthur Rimbaud on November 10, 1891.

Gallery

Tram for Marseille in Vienna (Austria) precommissioning checksam at (Wiener Linien)	A view onto the Old Port	The Fort Saint Nicolas, overlooking the harbour on the left bank	Le Corbusier's Unite d'Habitation
Madonna and Child statue on the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde.	Musée des Beaux Arts, Marseille.	The Église des Réformés church	Joan of Arc statue in Marseille.