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Origin and history

The Porte d'Aix, a triumphal arch located in Marseilles in the 3rd arrondissement, was originally envisaged in 1784 to honour Louis XVI and peace after the American War of Independence. The project, delayed by budgetary hesitation and abandoned during the Revolution, was relaunched in 1823 under the impetus of the Marquis de Montgrand, Mayor of Marseille. The goal then became to commemorate the Spanish campaign of 1823 of the Duke of Angoulême, which restored Ferdinand VII to the throne of Spain. The monument, inspired by the Arch of Titus in Rome, was approved by the government in 1824, and its first stone laid on November 4, 1825.

The construction, led by architect Michel-Robert Penchaud, experienced disruptions due to political changes. Beginning under Charles X, the arch was not completed until 1837, under Louis-Philippe I, by architect Charles Frédéric Chassériau. The bas-reliefs, originally planned to glorify the Duke of Angoulême, were modified to celebrate republican and imperial victories, such as Fleurus, Heliopolis, Austerlitz and Marengo. The sculptors David d'Angers and Étienne Jules Ramey realized these works, while the allegorical statues on the Atlantic, representing military virtues, deteriorated rapidly due to the friability of the stone.

Ranked a historic monument in 1982, the triumphal arch of the Aix Gate was inaugurated on 1 May 1837, during a magnificent ceremony including solemn mass and fireworks. The total cost of construction was 700,000 francs. In the 20th century, Jules-Guesde Square, where it stands, was profoundly transformed by the arrival of the A7 motorway in 1971, altering its urban environment. Despite these upheavals, the arch remains a major Marseille symbol, marked by its turbulent political and artistic history.

The arch architecture is inspired directly by the Arch of Titus, with a single arch framed by Corinthian columns. The north and south facades are decorated with historical bas-reliefs, while the tympanes are home to allegorical representations of the Renomée. The sculptures, now partially degraded or restored, illustrate the tensions between the different French political regimes of the 19th century. The arch, owned by the city of Marseille, is an essential urban landmark, alongside other monuments such as the Cantini fountain or the Mazargues obelisk.

Jules Guesde Square, where the arch is located, is named after the socialist politician Jules Guesde (1845-1922). Once ordered and classic, it was profoundly altered by the 1970s motorway works, becoming a fragmented space. In 2011, work was undertaken to redevelop the area and divert the motorway, although access to the square was restricted during this period. In spite of these transformations, the arch retains its status as an emblematic monument, a witness to the urban and political developments of Marseilles.

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