Saint-Charles Station
It all began in 1847 with the piercing of the Nerthe tunnel, which connects the city to the railway network. It was the architect Gustave Desplaces, who was also responsible for the Docks of La Joliette, who took charge of the construction of Saint Charles Station. It was put into service and inaugurated on January 8, 1848, by Monseigneur de Mazenod, the Archbishop of Marseille, but it was not completely finished until a few years later.
Construction of Saint Charles Station
It all began in 1847 with the piercing of the Nerthe tunnel, which connected the city to the railway network. Architect Gustave Desplaces, who was also responsible for the construction of the Docks of La Joliette, took charge of building Saint Charles Station. It was put into service and inaugurated on January 8, 1848, by Monseigneur de Mazenod, the Archbishop of Marseille, but it was not completely finished until several years later. The first line in service was the Paris – Lyon – Marseille line.
However, once completed, a problem remained. Saint Charles Station remained separated from the city center by the buildings of the Petit Séminaire and the Belsunce school, which occupied the top of Boulevard d'Athènes. To address this issue, the State bought these buildings in 1903. The need for a staircase linking the station to Boulevard d'Athènes began to be felt. A competition was organized by the municipality, and in August 1911, the project was launched. At the top of Boulevard d'Athènes stood the statue of the "Golden Virgin," erected in 1857 in honor of the Immaculate Conception. The statue was moved not far from there, to Boulevard de la Liberté, where it still stands to this day.
The Staircase of Saint Charles Station
It's architect Eugène Sénès, assisted by Léon Arnel, who secured the realization of the project. The ornamentation and sculptural work were entrusted to Louis-François Carli and Auguste Carli, Ary Bitter, Henri Reybaud… After some delays, notably due to the First World War, the works extended until 1921.
The structures evoke the colonies of Asia and Africa, the products of Provence: the grape harvest, fruits, flowers, harvest, and fishing, and are present at each landing.
The inauguration of the stairs is set for April 24, 1927. It is the President of the Republic himself, Gaston Doumergue, accompanied by the Mayor of Marseille, Dr. Siméon Flaissières, who inaugurates the new staircase, which is 16 meters high, composed of 104 steps, divided by 7 landings. On the same day, the monument to the heroes of the Eastern Army is also inaugurated.
SAINT CHARLES STATION TODAY
Modernization of the Station
The current version of the station was built from 1893 to 1896 by the architect Joseph Antoine Bouvard. The buildings are constructed in a U shape around a large glass roof.
The site underwent various transformation works aimed at enlarging it to accommodate an ever-increasing number of passengers coming to work or vacation in Marseille. During the colonial period, Marseille was the starting point for voyages to distant colonies, and travelers would transit through the station. Thus, the neighborhood transformed for these visitors, who often stayed only for one night or a day. This is why there are so many hotels on Boulevard d'Athènes.
There were two successive enlargement periods in 1970 and 1980. Then a final restructuring was undertaken in 2001 and completed in 2007.
The city of Marseille is now just 3 hours from Paris thanks to the TGV! You have no more excuses not to come and visit the tourist sites and monuments of Marseille!
Saint Charles Station: Hub of Public Transportation
As a railway and bus station, Saint Charles Station is connected to the city through its extensive public transportation network (trains, buses, metros, and trams). It is easily accessible for both locals and tourists visiting Marseille. And if you're wondering what to see in Marseille, it seems you're on the right site :-D We've put together a list of must-see attractions in Marseille. Once you have your train ticket, all you have to do is choose which iconic places in Marseille you want to visit! Moreover, if you want to explore our beautiful city while enjoying the great weather, why not opt for bike rental, Vélib, or Segway rental? Finally, remember to buy your entrance tickets at the ticket office to avoid waiting in line.
THE STATION'S STAIRCASES: A TRUE ARCHITECTURAL MUSEUM
When climbing the stairs of Saint Charles Station from the bottom, you encounter the following sculptures successively:
The Columns of Asia and Africa by Louis Botinelly:
Marseille is an important port in trade and exchanges with these distant lands. The two colonies are represented by two statues facing each other, depicting reclining women each accompanied by a child. Each representation naturally evokes the mentioned regions with their specificities.
Bronze sculptures by Henri Raybaud:
Six small bronze statues are located on the railings. They represent the great classics of Provence, its riches, its products. Thus, there are representations of harvest, fruits, fishing, flowers, grape harvesting, and hunting.
Carved pillars topped with a lantern by Auguste Carli and Henri Martin:
On this large intermediate landing, we find two large pillars topped with a lantern. Each one has a sculpture representing a female allegory resting the prow of a ship adorned with a ram's head. On the left, the representation of the door of the East sits on a seat from which two griffins emerge. On the right, the Greek allegory holds a statue of the goddess Diana in her hand. On each face of the pylons, there are coats of arms of cities: Nice, Paris, Aix, Marseille, and Lyon.
The lion and the child by Ary Bitter:
These are the last works before reaching the top of the stairs and thus arriving at the station. On each side of the staircase, the two statues each represent a lion with a child. On one, you can read the inscription, "the sun and the sea," and on the other, "the world and energy."
