The famous Chateau d'If (Castle of If) is the hallmark of Marseille and one of the most popular tourist attractions in this French city.
The Chateau d'If was built as a defensive fortification in the 16th century by the order of King Francis I. It was designed to have everything necessary for the defense: impregnable stone walls, narrow loopholes, and three round towers, that became excellent observation decks.
The castle is located about 3 km from the Marseille coastline. The large square building 28 meters wide occupies almost the entire island of 3 hectares. There is only one more structure – a lighthouse, standing on the edge of the rocky coast. The gloomy citadel, protruding among the inaccessible rocks and surrounded by dangerous water currents, was supposed to scare away enemies and protect the city from the seaside. However, the castle was never used in battles. In 1540, it was decided to place prison for dangerous special offenders here. There were two types of cells depending on the level of comfort. Lower-class criminals were kept in unbearable conditions: there were 20 or more people in a windowless cell, located in the lower dungeon. Offenders who could pay for their maintenance stayed upstairs in the cells with windows.
It was almost impossible to escape from the island. Therefore, the most despised enemies of the state, such as conspirators or revolutionaries, were sent here. During the religious wars, about 3.5 thousand Huguenots languished in this prison.
The castle became world-famous thanks to the famous novel by Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo, the protagonist of which spent 14 long years in the dungeon of the Chateau d'If, nourishing an idea of revenge.
A boat trip and access to the territory of the Chateau d'If costs 15 euros. This tour can be booked in local travel agencies of the Old Port.
Other interesting sights here include the Abbey of Saint-Victor, the Panier quarter, the Opera of Marseille.