The second largest city of France sits on the coastal hills of the Gulf of Lyon, in the southeastern part of the country. Often referred to as the "Gateway of the East", the city is France's largest commercial port and a major transportation hub connecting Europe and Asia by sea.
Marseille has a population of about 1 million people, including many Arabs, Africans, Greeks and Jews. There is a mix of cultures, peoples and styles in the air. But this is what gives the capital of Provence its special charm.
Marseille was founded more than 26 centuries ago - in 600 BC. The ancient Greeks chose a place near a natural bay and began to settle on the coastal hills. Fishing flourished in the settlement, and in 1512 forts and a port were built here. In 1531, King Francis I of France, appreciating the strategic importance of the area, ordered the fortification of the town's defenses and the construction of a large fortress.
Over time, it became a prison where the most dangerous criminals were kept. This fortress-prison on the island of If is familiar to everyone thanks to the famous work of Alexandre Dumas "The Count of Monte Cristo". I
