Engines of war and commerce once defined this coastline. Here stood the Arsenal des galères. This was more than just a shipyard. It was a powerhouse that shaped Marseille’s destiny.
The Arsenal des galères began humbly. Back in 1296, Charles II d’Anjou wanted to reconquer Sicily. He acquired part of the Plan Fourmiguier. This is now the Quai des Belges. Later Charles VIII ordered the construction of the first arsenal.
Fast forward to Louis XIV. He sought Mediterranean dominance. Colbert, his minister, chose Nicolas Arnoul to build a vast arsenal. Arnoul took over Plan Fourmiguier. He started a 30-year construction project in 1665. Gaspard Puget was the architect.
The Arsenal des galères became a city within a city. It stretched from the Canebière to the Paradis, Sainte, and Fort Notre-Dame streets. The main entrance was on Quai des Belges. Behind it stood the Pavillon and Clock.
Inside, one could find everything needed for galleys. There were stores artillery parks and arms rooms. The Intendant’s residence was also there. A canal called the Darse was added in 1702. It is now the Cours d’Estienne d’Orves. The hospital cared for the workers.
At its peak, the Arsenal des galères housed 40 galleys. Five thousand sailors and soldiers were stationed here. It also housed one thousand officers and 2500 workers. Twelve thousand galley slaves lived here. They were chained and whipped to row.
The Arsenal des galères played a role during the plague of 1720. Galley slaves were offered freedom to remove bodies. Few survived this task.
Louis XV ended galley sentences in 1748. The galley corps merged with the navy. The Arsenal des galères activities ceased. In 1781, Marshal de Castries ordered its abandonment. The last galley was sent to Toulon with 500 convicts.
The city sold the Arsenal des galères in 1781. It was tasked with building a new district. A canal was required. Charles Thiers proposed a grand public square. Only 10-meter-wide streets were constructed.
The last buildings of the Arsenal des galères were demolished in 1787. Today little remains. Only a building on Cours d’Estienne d’Orves remains. It is called La Capitainerie. It was listed as a historic monument in 1978. The Mosquée de l’Arsenal is also designated.
The Arsenal des galères shaped Marseille. Its legacy remains. It tells a tale of naval power. It speaks of ambition hard labor and urban transformation.