The history of Marseille began with the Old Port. It was here that the Phocian Greeks landed 600 years before our era and founded a colony. Since the XIII century, a shipyard operated in the port, where military vessels were built. Until the XIX century and the construction of the New port, the pier served as the sea gate of Marseille. Nowadays, yachtsmen and seafood sellers have chosen the Old Port, turning it into a popular tourist center.

The palace was built in the XIX century, the first stone in its foundation was laid by the Duke of Orleans. Longchamp is an entire architectural complex, which includes a sculptural group of a fountain, a facade in the form of a triumphal arch and symmetrical colonnades. On the territory of the palace there is a Museum of Natural History with an extensive natural science collection and a Museum of Fine Arts, where sculpture and painting of the XVI – XIX centuries are exhibited.

The famous fortress of the XVI century, which was immortalized in his works by A. Dumas. It was in the prison of the Castle of If that Edmond Dantes from the novel "The Count of Monte Cristo" languished. Initially, the fort served to protect Marseille from attacks from the sea, but very soon it became a prison. From 1580 to 1880, the gloomy fortress on the island of the same name was considered the most terrible dungeon in Europe. 10 years after its closure in 1890, If Castle became accessible to tourists.

The palace was built in the XIX century by order of Napoleon III for his wife, now the building belongs to the city authorities and is used for public events, conferences and receptions. The Faro Palace has about 500 rooms decorated in the Empire style. The building stands on a platform near the sea, rocks and a steep coast stretch below. The best panoramic view of the castle opens from the water.

The city council building was erected in the middle of the XVII century. In the turbulent times of endless revolutions, he miraculously managed to avoid demolition, although such thoughts periodically arose from newly formed governments. The building is built in the "Provencal Baroque" architectural style according to the project of J.-B. Meolan and E. Belondel. The main entrance to the town Hall is decorated with a bust of Louis XIV and the coat of arms of the Bourbon dynasty.

An architectural monument of the XIX century, erected for the city Chamber of Commerce. The large hall of the exchange can accommodate up to 2.5 thousand people. Not only brokerage firms engaged in trading are located here, there are also cultural institutions and a shopping center on the territory. The impressive building of the exchange looks monumental and somewhat bulky, its facades are entwined with a number of powerful Corinthian columns.

The fortress was built in 1660, erected under Louis XIV. The fort is the "gateway" to the Old Port of Marseille. It was erected after a city uprising against the power of the governor of Provence. Interestingly, the fort's guns were not directed towards the sea – towards the supposed enemy, but inside the city. After the victory of the French Revolution, a prison was placed on the territory of the fortress, where many notable prisoners visited.

A fortress located opposite Fort Saint-Jean. It was erected on the site of an ancient church of the XIII century by L. de Clairville. Saint-Nicolas was built for the same purpose as Saint-Jean – to suppress the repeated uprising of the townspeople and to intimidate the discontented, although it was officially announced that the fortress would reliably protect Marseille from enemies. The citadel was built in 4 years, which is considered a record time for the XVII century.

The abbey was founded by the Monk Cassian at the beginning of the 5th century, on the site of the grave of Victor of Marseilles, a martyr and Christian saint. In the IX century, as a result of attacks by nomadic Saracens, the monastery complex was partially destroyed, but in the X century it was restored. Up to the XVIII century, the abbey functioned successfully, but as a result of the widespread ruin of monasteries (a consequence of the French Revolution), the monastery fell into disrepair. Since 1840, it has been considered a national monument, but restoration was carried out only in 1963.

The temple is located on a hill at the highest point of Marseille. It was built in the middle of the XIX century on the foundation of an ancient fortress. Residents of Marseille consider the basilica to be the patron saint of the city. The building is built in the neo-Byzantine style according to the project of A.-Zh. Esperandier. At the top of the church bell tower there is an 11-meter statue of the Virgin Mary. Notre-Dame de la Garde is one of the most visited tourist sites in Marseille.

A picturesque cathedral built during the period of the highest economic power of Marseille – in the second half of the XIX century. The temple was built in a luxurious Byzantine manner with round domes and elegant balustrades. A wide variety of materials were used in the construction – from Italian marble to African onyx. The interior of the cathedral is lavishly decorated with mosaics, frescoes and decorative elements made of bronze.

The museum opened in 2013, when Marseille was chosen as the cultural capital of Europe. The modern building housing the collections is connected to Fort Saint-Jean by a bridge. The museum exhibits both traditional items: paintings, coins, equipment, furniture, documents, and more provocative ones. Among the controversial exhibits are an image of a "pregnant" man and a statue of Aphrodite made of sequins and aluminum, created in 1966.

A cultural center located in a building of the XVII century. Previously, there was an almshouse and a hospice. Nowadays there are two museums in the center. One exposition is devoted to the culture of the countries of America, Oceania and Africa, the second is an archaeological collection. The building of the Center de la Vieille Charite is made in the Baroque style. The main material of the facade is pink and white stone from a local quarry.

The house was built in 1952, designed by Le Corbusier, an architect who, after the end of World War II, implemented urban programs for the construction of residential buildings. It was an innovative plan for the middle of the XX century, as the house consisted of 17 floors, 1,600 people could be accommodated inside. A gym, a swimming pool, a kindergarten and other public facilities were located on the roof of the building.

The territory of archaeological excavations, where the remains of architectural structures erected before our era are located. These ruins were discovered in 1967. They became a direct proof that the settlement here arose at the turn of the VI-VII centuries BC. To preserve the priceless finds, it was decided to create a park, which was called the "Garden of Ruins".

The park is located on a vast territory of 17 hectares. It has an English garden, a botanical garden, sculptures, fountains, "living" tunnels of flowers and other elements of French landscape design. In the middle of the park there is a castle of the XVIII century, which belonged to L.J. Boreli, an industrialist and shipowner. In the XIX century, the city authorities organized a public park on the site of the former Borelli estate.

A sports arena designed for 67 thousand people. The last reconstruction was carried out in 2016 before the Euro 2016 championship. During the XX century, the Velodrome hosted games of European leagues, as well as individual matches of world championships. The stadium was built in 1937, and for several decades it has been the home arena for the Marseille Olympic football team.

A complex of artificial beaches, which was created by the city authorities in the 70s of the XX century. Before that, Marseille did not have its own beach. The embankment was made of small fragments of rock left after the construction of metro stations. The result was a coastal strip of about 3.5 km . in length, where, in addition to beaches with all the infrastructure, playgrounds, parks and recreation areas are located.

The Friuli archipelago consists of the islands of Tibulen, Ratonno and Pomogu. A city ferry departs hourly from the Old Port of Marseille. The islands are attractive because there are a large number of convenient beaches. Yachts are often moored in cozy coves, as people prefer to swim here rather than in the artificial harbor of Marseille. Also on the islands there is a small settlement of Port Frioul, where you can have lunch in a restaurant.

Calanques are small picturesque bays, French "fjords", which are located on the coast from Marseille to Lia Ciot and Cassis. There are three ways to explore this natural wonder – during a sea cruise, a car trip and a walk. Especially for hikers, the entire 20-kilometer coast from Marseille to Cassis is equipped with hiking trails. Some columns end with cozy sandy beaches.