Church of Saint Michel

Church of Saint Michel and its architecture

A bit away from the city center, the Church of Saint Michel is located at 1 Place de l'Archange in the Camas district, in the 5th arrondissement of Marseille. It is famous for its sacred music festival.

Established in 1848, the parish of Saint Michel wanted a place of worship. Built by the Marseille architect Pierre Marius Bérengier, it is the first neo-Gothic style church built in Marseille. To finance the construction, the Parish organized a lottery that was approved by Napoleon III. Once the funds were exhausted, the city took over the purchase of the land and part of the construction costs. The first stone was laid in 1850 and completed in 1864 with the installation of its facade, which is relatively bare, with no statues or ornaments, suggesting that it is unfinished. However, the stained glass windows inside are definitely worth seeing. They were created by the Master Glassmaker Émile Thibaut de Clermont.

The facade measures 33 meters in height, 60 meters in length, and 30 meters in width. And the stained glass windows cover more than 300 meters. The stained glass window at the heart of the Church of Saint Michel is impressive: its 18 meters in height are divided into 5 panels. It depicts the miracles of Jesus such as the multiplication of the loaves, the healing of the paralyzed, or the blessing of the children. You can also see the Eucharist and the giving of the keys to Saint Peter. Above the organ, a stained glass window depicts Saint Michel surrounded by angels.

Although it is not classified as a historical monument, it remains a vestige of Marseille's history.

When visiting the Church of Saint Michel, you can admire the tomb of Abbé Meistre, the first parish priest, as well as the grand organ, which attracts many visitors. The calm and serenity of the monument make it a perfect place for prayer in Marseille.

The Marseille church offers masses on Sundays and during the week.