Eglise Saint-Jean-de-Malte (Church of Saint John), Aix-en-Provence

The Church of Saint John stands at the crossroads of Italy street and Cardinal street鈥攁 quiet corner with a rather loud claim to fame: it's the first Gothic Catholic church in Provence. Back in 1270, the Knights of Malta had a hospice and chapel here鈥攗ntil someone decided it was too good a spot not to build a full-blown Gothic church.

In the 1600s, the church officially joined city life when the ramparts shifted south to make way for the Mazarin district. The Revolution, in classic fashion, wasn鈥檛 kind: the church was stripped of its valuables and acted as a military warehouse. Things didn鈥檛 improve until Napoleon came along and handed it back to the faithful.

Film buffs might recognize its interior from Michelangelo Antonioni鈥檚 Beyond the Clouds (which aired in 1995), but the real wonder is in the stained glass. Installed in 1858, the window features a divine family photo of God the Father blessing Count Ramon Berenguer IV, Beatrice of Provence, and three very stoic knights.

After its revival, the church slowly rebuilt its art collection. Today, you鈥檒l find works like Sir Henry Pleading with the Virgin (dated to 1687), The Annunciation (from 1678), and the gorgeous Crucifixion (made in 1820) by none other than Delacroix. Not bad for a church that once doubled as storage.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Eglise Saint-Jean-de-Malte (Church of Saint John)
Sight Location: Aix-en-Provence, France (See walking tours in Aix-en-Provence)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Aix-en-Provence Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Aix-en-Provence, France

Create Your Own Walk in Aix-en-Provence

Creating your own self-guided walk in Aix-en-Provence is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Aix-en-Provence Fountains and Squares Tour

Aix-end-Provence is known for its fountains. With more than 1,000 fountains, a tourist could spend weeks walking around the city without glimpsing them all. The fountains began appearing under the Roman empire when the Romans discovered Aix's natural thermal water source. They referred to the area as Aquae Sextiae or the Waters of Sextius.

The fountains appear throughout the city and are... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles

In the Footsteps of Paul C茅zanne

Paul C茅zanne, often called the 鈥渇ather of modern art鈥� for bridging 19th-century post-impressionism and the birth of early modernism, caused a bit of a stir early in his career. While staying with Doctor Gachet in Auvers-sur-Oise, he painted his take on Manet鈥檚 Olympia鈥攂ut with a twist. Instead of just a reclining nude, C茅zanne inserted himself into the scene, back turned, like a shy... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles

Aix-en-Provence Introduction Walking Tour

Aix-en-Provence may not have coastal views, but it compensates in style with its Roman bathwater and city logistics. Founded in 123 BC by Roman consul Gaius Sextius Calvinus, this southern French settlement鈥攐riginally named Aquae Sextiae, which means 鈥淲aters of Sextius鈥濃€攚as built around its thermal springs and the promise of a good soak. Centuries later, the name was streamlined to... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles

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