The Canebiere is the historic high street in the old quarter of Marseille , France .
Location
About a long kilometer, it runs from the Old Port of Marseille to the Reformed quarter. [1] [2] It has been called the Champs-Elysées of Marseille . [2]
Toponymy
The name ‘Canebiere’ (‘Canabiera’ in Provençal dialect ) comes from the word Cannabis in Latin , as the area around the Old Port was originally hemp fields and was one of the world’s largest trader of hemp sneakers and ropes from the Middle Ages until the 1930s, when other fibers were used instead. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
History
The avenue was built in 1666, when King Louis XIV of France (1638-1715) decided to expand the city of Marseille. [1] [2]
At the end of the eighteenth century, the Grand Arsenal shipbuilding dock was demolished, the avenue was extended to the Old Port and elegant buildings were built. [1] Only as late as 1928 was it extended from the Old Port to the Church of Saint Vincent de Paul (also known as the Church of the Reformed). [1]
During the French Third Republic (1871-1940), it became a haven for high society, with many cafes, and music hall performances. [1] [2] However, it was marred by the murder of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia on the Avenue on October 9, 1934. [1] That day, French foreign minister Louis Barthou was fatally wounded as a result of this incident. [1] Moreover, on October 28, 1938, the News Galleries store was destroyed by fire, killing 75. The tragedy led to the reorganization of Marseille’s firefighters battalion, and the mayor, Henri Tasso , was dismissed.
The avenue fell in disarray after the French colonial empire came to an end by the 1960s. [1] In recent years, it has been refurbished. [1]
The new Line T2 of the Marseille Tram runs along the Canebière between Rome Street / Belsunce and Reformed Courts. Noailles (M2) and Old Port (M1) metro stations are located along the street.
On 8 May 2017, the city of Marseille organized the “Patriotic Ball” on the Canebiere to commemorate the anniversary of the Liberation of France on May 8, 1945. [7] [8] A similar ball was organized in 2016. [7] [8]
References
- ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h i j Marseille Tourist Office: The Canebière
- ^ Jump up to:a b c d e Dana Facaros Michael Pauls, Provence , New Holland Publishers, 2004, p. 171 [1]
- Jump up^ Adrien Bles,Historical Dictionary of the streets of Marseille, Jeanne Laffitte (ed.), Marseille, 1989, p. 98
- Jump up^ Britannica: The Canebière
- Jump up^ Predrag Matvejević,Mediterranean: A Cultural Landscape, University of California Press, 1999, p. 59[2]
- Jump up^ Provence and the Cote D’Azur , Lonely Planet, 2010, p. 48
- ^ Jump up to:a b Gentili, Laetitia (6 May 2017). “Marseille: a patriotic ball to celebrate the Victory of May 8, 1945” . Provence . Retrieved 8 May 2017 .
- ^ Jump up to:a b “Liberation: the Department organizes the 2nd patriotic ball on the Canebière” . Department of Bouches-du-Rhone . Retrieved 8 May 2017 .