History of Marseille’s famous thoroughfare
Back to the 19th century
The history of the rue de la République begins in 1864. The city of Marseille decided to embark on titanic works to create this immense thoroughfare, over 1.5 km in length. The project necessitated the destruction of 935 houses, as well as the disappearance of almost 61 Marseilles streets. The entire project took 4 years to complete, from 1860 to 1864. The street was officially named “Rue de la République” on October 16, 1870. Prior to this, it was known as “rue Impériale”.
The buildings and houses here are built in a Haussmann style, like a majority of housing in the city of Marseille. This style was particularly appreciated by the bourgeoisie and was very popular at the time, hence this choice. However, most of the bourgeoisie preferred to settle in downtown districts, such as the quartier Vauban or the quartier des Antiquaires. The proximity to the Vieux-Port was not to everyone’s taste, unlike today.
The street has been part of the Euro-Mediterranean perimeter since the 2000s, meaning that 4,000 rental homes are to be rehabilitated there. In 2005, a large number of adjoining units were purchased by multiple groups and franchises with the aim of renovating them and making them more attractive. Today, the thoroughfare has developed considerably and is home to boutiques, cafés, bars and restaurants, enough to satisfy the people of Marseille and visitors all year round.
