Saint-Jean de Malte Church

Built at the end of the 13th century, it is thought to have been completed between 1272 and 1277. The church of Saint-Jean-de-Malte is the first Gothic building in Provence and the only one entirely in this style in Aix.

Originally located on the outskirts of town, in the middle of fields but close to a major thoroughfare, the Route d'Italie, its architecture is directly inspired by the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem, who gave it its name.

The building was devoid of large openings, and the narrow loopholes in the two tall octagonal towers on the façade still directly echo this military order, which provided protection and security for Christians during the Crusades.

The facade therefore has a severe appearance, tempered by the large rose window, 4 m in diameter. The simple, sober interior housed the tombs of the Counts of Provence, which also explains the large size of the building.

Three remarkable paintings by three great masters of the 17th-18th and 19th centuries can be seen here: firstly, a Finsonius, representing the Resurrection of Christ, the oldest work by Louis Finson recorded in Provence (1610), a canvas by Michel Serre, L'Apothéose de Saint-Augustin, and finally a large Christ en croix, painted by Eugène Delacroix.

The adjacent building, the former priory, has housed the Musée des Beaux-Arts since 1838, known as the Musée Granet, one of the richest in France. Since 1977, Saint-Jean de Malte has regained its monastic function, hosting the fraternity of diocesan apostolic monks of Saint-Jean-de-Malte.

In 2018, the church's three bells were reinstalled. 225 years after they were cast as a gift for Napoleon.

On-site sale of Monnaie de Paris medals.