Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The monumental staircase of the Saint-Charles station in Marseilles was designed to link the station directly to the boulevard of Athens, a need identified in 1859 by Adolphe Meyer. Prior to its construction, access was blocked by the buildings of the Petit Séminaire, forcing a detour. A competition launched in 1911 retained the project of architects Eugène Sénès and Léon Arnal, but the First World War delayed work. The buildings of the Petit Séminaire, acquired by the State in 1903, were finally demolished in 1921 to free space.

The first stone was laid in 1923 by Mayor Simeon Flaissières, and the staircase was opened to the public in December 1925, although the sculptures were not completed. The official inauguration took place on 24 April 1927 in the presence of President Gaston Doumergue, marking the culmination of a monumental project combining art and public utility. The Memorial to the Dead of the East was inaugurated on the same day, highlighting its symbolic importance in the inter-war period.

The 15.5 metre high staircase, with 104 steps, is rhythmized by seven bearings decorated with allegorical sculptures. The works of Ary Bitter, Auguste Carli, Henri Raybaud and Louis Botinelly celebrate Marseille, its colonies, and regional wealth. The towers bear the coat of arms of Marseille, Nice, Aix-en-Provence, Lyon and Paris, while the bronze groups evoke fishing, harvest or flowers. In 2022, the ensemble was listed as historic monuments, recognizing its heritage value.

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