Grand Hôtel du Louvre et de la Paix
Why is it significant?
Cast your eyes upward to the spectacular Second Empire facade of number fifty-three La Canebière, once home to the world-renowned Grand Hôtel du Louvre et de la Paix.
Key Facts
| Place | Grand Hôtel du Louvre et de la Paix |
|---|---|
| Address | La Canebière 53, 13001 Marseille, France |
| Geo Coordinates | 43.29700, 5.37920 |
| Part of Walk | The Old Port, La Canebière and Palais Longchamp: From Merchant Agora to Water Palace |
| Generated | Generated |
Cast your eyes upward to the spectacular Second Empire facade of number fifty-three La Canebière, once home to the world-renowned Grand Hôtel du Louvre et de la Paix. Opened in August 1863 under the direction of architect Charles Pot, this palatial hundred-eighty-room grand hotel ranked among the most opulent and technologically sophisticated in Europe, matching the splendor of premier establishments in Paris and Vienna. Its Haussmann-style stone facade is dramatically anchored by four monumental stone caryatids sculpted by Hippolyte Ferrat, allegorically representing the four continents connected to Marseille by luxury steamship lines: Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Ornate wrought-iron balconies, triangular pediments, and mansard slate roofs recall the golden age of grand international travelers following the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Famed guests including Mark Twain, Buffalo Bill Cody, actress Sarah Bernhardt, and royalty from Britain and Russia resided in its gilded suites before embarking for voyages to the Orient or South America. Though repurposed as modern retail stores during the twentieth century, the exterior sculptural grandeur remains remarkably intact. The clatter of the modern streetcar echoes across this historic boulevard whose name derives from the hemp worked by medieval rope-makers. Stately architectural details remind travelers of the dazzling cosmopolitan elegance that defined nineteenth-century Marseille.
Look closely at the four caryatids: Africa wears an elephant headdress, Asia is crowned with lotus blossoms, and America sports feather plumes with astonishing sculptural realism.
American author Mark Twain wrote enthusiastically in Innocents Abroad in 1869 about the hotel's palatial comforts and its revolutionary hydraulic guest elevator.
In November 1895, brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière staged one of their historic public motion picture demonstrations inside one of the private hotel salons.
Turn right into Rue des Feuillants to immerse yourself in the vibrant multicultural scents and colors of the Noailles market.