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Origin and history

The arsenal of the galleys of Marseilles was built in the second half of the 17th century under the impulse of Colbert, minister of Louis XIV, to shelter and arm the royal galleys. Located on the eastern and southern shores of the Old Port, it became a symbol of French naval power in the Mediterranean, although its activity declined rapidly to the benefit of modern ships. The arsenal also welcomed the forces condemned to the galleys until their abolition in 1748 by Louis XV.

The history of the galleys in Marseilles dates back to Roman antiquity, but it was under Charles II of Anjou (XIIIth century) then Charles VIII and Louis XII (XVIth century) that the arsenal was structured. In the 17th century, Nicolas Arnoul, intendant of the galeries, supervised its extension in three phases (1665–69, 1673–79, 1685–90), transforming the site into a major military complex with ternals, forçat hospital, and a giant ropery. The arsenal housed up to 40 galleys at its peak, employing 20,000 people (galerians, sailors, workers).

Life in the arsenal was marked by a strict organization: Galerians, often ordinary convicts (39%), deserters (39%), or Protestants (12%), worked in extreme conditions. Surgeons on board, such as François Chabert or Antoine Moulinneuf, treated a chiourm where one in two men died. The arsenal also played an urban role, with the creation of an observatory in 1685 and the installation of fire pumps, the ancestors of the firemen.

The decline began in the 18th century: in 1748 Louis XV removed the galleys, and the arsenal was gradually dismantled. Sold to the city in 1781, its land was set aside to create streets (Canebière, Place Thiars) and public facilities (Opéra). Today, only the Captainry (classified in 1978) and a supposed mosque of the Turkish Galerians remain, although its origin is contested.

The arsenal was a lasting sign of Marseille urban planning. Its location, filled in the 20th century (canal of customs transformed into Jean-Ballard course and place aux Huiles), recalls its historical importance. The galleys, although replaced by the ships, remained a symbol of prestige: in 1680 the Countess of Grignan was greeted by 26 galleys during an official visit.

The archaeological remains and archives (letters from Colbert, memoirs from Arnoul) bear witness to its central role in the Marseilles du Grand Siècle, between repression, military innovation and urban integration. The arsenal also illustrates tensions between the monarchy and the city, especially during expropriations for its expansion.

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