When we visit an attraction, the thought involuntarily slips in: “How lucky the locals are! They can come here often and enjoy! " Alas, this is not always the case, and the Château d'If is a prime example of this. Built in the middle of the 16th century by King Francis I, it became the object of discontent among the inhabitants of Marseille and earned the nickname "pesky neighbor". And when it lost its original fortification value and became a prison, hatred doubled. The attitude towards the gloomy structure began to change after the publication of the novel by Alexandre Dumas "The Count of Monte Cristo". Today this place is so popular that tourists are adjusting and adjusting their routes for the sake of it.
Fortification fortress
In 1516, Francis I decided to build a fortification on a small island, which would protect Marseille from attacks from the Mediterranean Sea. Eight years later - in 1524 - construction work began, completed another seven - in 1531. The building had a menacing appearance, which also played a role: there is evidence that Charles V decided not to storm the city guarded by such a "terrible" fort.
7 years is a short time for the construction of a powerful fortress. Several years later, it turned out that the walls were too flimsy to repel attacks. Engineer Vauban, sent for an architectural "audit", stated: "Even the smallest number of soldiers will take this fortress in a few hours."
In 1580, it was decided to re-equip the Château d'If into a prison for criminals of special danger and opponents of the monarchical system in France. The first prisoner was taken to If in 1582: he was accused of conspiracy against King Anselm. The last prisoner is the leader of the Parisian commune, who was executed in 1871.
Castle in literature
The fortress-prison became famous thanks to the novel "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas, published in 1845. The main character, Edmond Dantes, was serving a long-term prison sentence in Château d'If. In 1890, after the opening of the Chateau d'If as a tourist site, thousands of people began to come here to see the mysterious structure with their own eyes. The mention of If in the novel is immortalized inside the fortress:
- On the ground floor there is a "Dantes chamber" connected by an underground passage to the chamber of Abbot Faria
- There is a TV on the wall of the cell, which incessantly broadcasts the moment of the meeting between Dantes and the abbot, cut from various adaptations of the novel
- On the second floor is the cell of the mysterious prisoner Iron Mask.
Interesting Facts
- Digging a gap between the chambers, as described in the novel, is unrealistic: the lower part of the fortress, where the chambers were located, is carved into the rock
- Now at the top of the castle is a prestigious restaurant, which offers a beautiful view of the city
- General Kleber was one of the prisoners. The prisoner was delivered dead, and the coffin with his body stood in the cell for 17 years.
- If Castle has never been attacked.
The object belongs to castles.
