Le Jardin des Vestiges

In 1967, following construction in the center of Marseille, several ancient archeological remains were unearthed. Today, these historical ruins are now part of a landscaped garden, sitting in the heart of a modern day city. 

Created by Joël-Louis Martin, a renowned landscape architect, Le Jardin des Vestiges (or Garden of Vestiges), is part of the Museum of Marseille. Discovered during construction of a would-be shopping center, the ancient ruins belong to an old Greek port that dates back to the Roman Empire. 

In its heyday, this once thriving Greek port would have extended further east and been bustling with traders, unloading goods. The wharves of this ancient port are still visible and said to date back to Roman times. 

The present-day Jardin des Vestiges is a unique contrast between the historic past of Marseille and the modern day city that has spring up around it.