Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica

Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica In Maseille, a port city in southern France, there is a local "Mazu Temple"—Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde, also known as Notre Dame de la Garde/Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica/Holy Mother of the Guard/Garde Sanctuary, there are too many Chinese names! In fact, it is nicknamed "la Bonne Mere" (the good mother) by the people of Marseille. It stands tall on the Garde hill in the center of Marseille, as if forever overlooking and watching over the ships and sailors entering and leaving the port of Marseille. At the top of the 157-meter-high building is an exquisite golden statue of the Virgin Mary. This is a pilgrimage site with more than 800 years of history. Its construction went through three different historical stages: a small chapel was built in 1214, renovated in the 15th century, and the magnificent domed church was demolished and rebuilt in 1853. In fact, Notre-Dame de la Garde in Marseille combines military and religious functions. In 1516, French King François I realized the strategic importance of Garde Hill and ordered the construction of military castles here and on the nearby island of If, which is now the Château d'If.