Château d'If

If Castle found its place in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea on the small island of the Friul archipelago. It was built back in 1527-1531 to protect the French city of Marseille from the sudden invasions of sea conquerors. If Castle is located one mile from the city coastline in an area of 30,000 m². This majestic protective building that has grown, straight from the cliff, has square bases with three towers and a small courtyard.

If Castle looks wonderful in our time, because he never had to repel an enemy attack from the sea. Its good preserved pristine appearance attracts many travelers. Fans of A. Dumas creativity and just lovers of ancient architecture especially love this area.

There is a lighthouse in the castle, and its bastions are visible both far into the sea and on land. The outer walls of ancient construction simply merge with the local rocks. The entire castle is fenced with a fortress wall, which was built around the end of the 16th century. At this time, a church and a observation tower were also built here.

As local guides say, If Castle was built very hastily, as evidenced by large punctures and many shortcomings in the masonry of walls. It turns out that he was very lucky that he did not have to repel a single attack. But historical information is that enemies were often frightened by his formidable appearance.

The main role that If Castle – played is an effective prison for political prisoners. There were approximately 3,500 slaves within its walls, from which this building gained such a gloomy reputation. The rich prisoners were provided with cameras with comfort and sea views, and the poor languished in the lower, which did not have a single window.

Throughout history, the only time in If Castle was the shooting of cannons that greeted Katrina de Medici on the orders of the king of the country.

In 1884, Alexander Dumas wrote his famous novel, The Count of Monte Cristo, describing the imprisonment in the prison of IF Castle Edmond Dantes. Roman became extremely popular among the French and with the opening of a castle for the public in 1890, the flow of tourists does not die out. In the castle you can see the camera in which Dantes allegedly sat. There is a TV in the cell showing his meeting with the abbot of Faria from different screenings of the novel. On the second floor there is a prisoner's cell Iron Mask, although the prisoner actually wore a velvet mask and his story is full of secrets and mysteries. Thanks to these, the castle gained its popularity in the minds of the prisoners, but the most interesting thing is that they have never been to If Castle. Edmond Dantes fiction of Alexander Dumas, and the Iron Mask prisoner was in different prisons in France, but not in If Castle.

Tourists are given the opportunity to visit If Castle starting in 1890. In 1926, this architectural attraction was included in the lists of historically important objects of the state. To get into the walls of the castle, tourists definitely need to overcome the stone fortification and the old pier. Not very gentle road, which the oldest walls frame on both sides, will certainly lead to the very cameras of the Marseille prison. Using the spiral staircase, you will find yourself in a small courtyard that will lead to the castle itself.

An excursion to the French castle If will certainly dip you in the history of the country, and also delight you with an ancient architectural object and wonderful sea landscapes.