Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
(Les) Saintes- Maries- de -la -Mer is a municipality with 2396 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011 ) in the French department of Bouches -du -Rhône, a part of the Provence- Alpes- Côte d' Azur region; Office of the relevant sub- prefecture of the arrondissement is Arles. Since the municipality extensive nature reserves belong to the Rhônemündung she has in an area of 374.6 km ² is even for French standards extremely low population density ( 6.6 inhabitants / km ²). It is located in the Regional Natural Park of Camargue.
This place in the landscape Camargue is an ancient pilgrimage site, which today is heavily influenced by tourism.
History
In the 14th century Notre -Dame-de -la -Mer was converted into a fortified church, which still stands today, and since that time the name of Notre -Dame-de -la -Mer became common. 1448 was discovered (alleged ) relics of the two saints Jacobé Marie and Marie Salomé, which led in the subsequent period to a special " cult of Mary ", to which the faithful made pilgrimages from further afield. During the French Revolution, this cult was banned and the church partially destroyed (1873 restored).
In 1838 the city took on its current name. 1924 where he developed the French artist Paul Hermann the Cross of Camargue. To date, there are two pilgrimages to Saintes -Maries instead, which are held in honor of Marie Jacobé and Marie Salomé on 24 May and the end of October of each year, in May, also by Sara, patron saint of Gitans (which are primarily Spanish -born Roma ).
Development in the 20th century
In the years 1950er/1960er Les Saintes- Maries- de -la -Mer was a secret spot of the French new " Bohème", soon the European beatniks, also remained an important religious place for the Gitanes; in some summer night evolved on the streets and on the Mediterranean beach a spontaneous flamenco festival.
As it usually is issued insider, the city grew 1960-1999 from 680 to about 2,500 inhabitants, and during the summer months it hosts a multiple thereof. Meanwhile there no one works practically as fishermen or farmers, the inhabitants live off tourism. So experienced Saintes- Maries- de -la -Mer present a further expansion of the infrastructure, the long-term changes (construction of apartment buildings, a sports boat harbor, planning a high-speed course for windsurfers and the like) the original face of the city. Through the east of the village natural reserve of leading a 25 km long walk to neighboring Salin- de -Giraud.
Attractions
The Baroncelli Museum
The Baroncelli Museum from the roof of the church
Interior of the church of Notre-Dame
The Holy Sara in the crypt of the church of Notre -Dame
The Holy Virgin Mary in Notre -Dame-de -la -Mer
Twinning
Saintes- Maries- de -la- Mer is twinned with the Italian city of Grosseto in Tuscany and the Spanish Villamanrique de la Condesa in Andalusia.