Did you know that Saint-Lazare in Marseille is more than just a place? It is a tapestry woven with threads of history, faith, and community. Saint-Lazare is an administrative quarter of the 3rd arrondissement of Marseille. It is a vibrant area with a unique story.
Let’s step back to the 13th century. This area was known as a leper colony. It was called Domus S. Lazari de Cart. “Cart” refers to a local stream, either the Caravelle or Aygalades. People also knew the site as la Baume des Lépreux or la Baume des Mézels. Imagine the isolation and suffering endured here.
Fast forward to 1692. The Hôpital de Saint-Lazare transformed into a house for the “fous” or the mad. This shift marks a change in the area’s purpose. It became a place of confinement for the mentally ill.
In 1784, plans emerged for the Porte d’Aix. It was initially intended to honor Louis XIV. It also was to commemorate the Peace of Paris in 1783. This treaty ended the American Revolutionary War. The Arc de Triomphe construction started. It stands as a testament to victory, inaugurated under the July Monarchy in 1839. Marneuf’s pillar ornaments mix references. They include victories from Austerlitz, Fleurus, Marengo, and Heliopolis.
The interior of the Arc highlights themes. Pierre-Jean David d’Angers created “La Patrie appelant les enfants à la défense de la Liberté”. Etienne-Jules Ramey depicted “Le retour des braves après la victoire”.
By 1832, people began to speak of the Faubourg Saint-Lazare. This coincided with the construction of a chapel by Mgr de Mazenod. This marked the area’s growth as a suburb.
Saint-Lazare is home to the Église Saint-Lazare. Eugène de Mazenod commissioned it. His nephew Fortuné de Mazenod dedicated it in 1833. Pascal-Xavier Coste designed the church. Its neoclassical style includes a coffered ceiling and Neo-Renaissance decoration. The facade was not fully completed because of lack of funds. The church was meant to protect the area against cholera.
In 1878, Alfred Saurel described Saint-Lazare. He noted it was not a village or hamlet. It was a suburb linked to the city. Houses lined the Route Nationale 8 from the Arc-de-Triomphe to the Arenc district.
Saint-Lazare has many notable buildings. These include the Lycée Victor Hugo built in 1905. Also there is the Caserne des Pompiers constructed in 1912 and the Faculté des Sciences built in 1919. The Bourse du Travail followed in 1936 and the Bibliothèque Universitaire in 1958. Finally, the Cité Gaston Berger in 1960. An arche of the aqueduct that crossed the place in the Middle Ages was found in 1980.
Today Saint-Lazare is a lively blend of past and present. The Saint-Lazare church still stands. The facade might be unfinished. But it welcomes visitors. The marble high altar and carved wooden Stations of the Cross are worth seeing. Saint-Lazare’s story is a reminder that places evolve. They carry echoes of the past.