Château d'If is a fortress located on the island of the same name in the Friulian archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The fortification, famous thanks to the work of the great Dumas, belongs to the French department of Boucher-du-Rhone. It is only a mile from Marseille and is easily visible from the city's waterfront called the Corniche. Looking at the white castle, flooded with sunlight and washed by azure waters, it is hard to believe that in the old days, it housed a prison.
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| Chateau d'If Marseille |
One of the most popular boat trips among French Marseille tourists is still an excursion to the mysterious Château d'If, located on the island of the same name in the Mediterranean Sea near the western coast of the city.
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| Chateau d'If Marseille |
Construction history
In the Middle Ages, the small limestone island of If served as a haven for pirates and robbers. But in 1516, Francis I decided to build a fortress on it to protect Marseille from invaders. Construction continued from 1524 to 1531.
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| Chateau d'If Marseille |
The new castle had an intimidating appearance, but, according to military engineers, it was absolutely unsuitable for defense for several reasons. Firstly, its walls were hastily built from very fragile stone. And, secondly, the project itself was not very successful - the building was small and did not make it possible to repel enemy attacks from all sides.
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| Chateau d'If Marseille |
It was not possible to test the stability and functionality of the fortress in practice since in its entire history it has never been attacked. Although there is a legend that Charles V, when he saw her, changed his mind about storming Marseille. That is the castle of If still possessed some defensive power.