Tour of Marseille, France

The present day city of Marseille is built around the Old Port. In 600 BC, Greek settlers from Phocaea landed in the Lacydon, a rocky Mediterranean cove, now the site of the Old Port of Marseille. They set up a trading post or emporion in the hills on the northern shore.

Until the nineteenth century, the Old Port remained the centre of maritime activity in Marseille. In the middle ages, the land at the far end of the port was used to cultivate hemp (or cannabis) for the local manufacture of rope for mariners, which is the origin of the name of the main thoroughfare of Marseille, the Canebiere.

The two earlier buildings at each side of the entrance to the Old Port were the twelfth century Commandry of the Knights Hospitaller of St John of Jerusalem, which served as a monastic hospice during the crusades; and the fifteenth century tower of Rene I, King of Provence.

Theses buildings were extended and re-named Fort Saint-Jean and Fort Saint-Nicolas in 1660 by Louis XIV.

The two new forts were built in response to a local uprising against the governor, rather than for the defense of the city: their cannons pointed inwards towards the town, not outwards towards the sea.

The Port of Marseille is a popular cruise destination. The three cruise lines, Costa Cruises, MSC Cruises and Louis Cruises, jointly manage the port. The outer part of the port accommodates the cruise ships and the inner, yachts.

This view south across the inner part of the port shows the Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica, situated at the highest natural point in Marseille just south of the city centre.

The Town Hall (Hotel de Ville) overlooking the port, was built in 1656. It is a beautiful example of the civil architecture of the end of the 17th century.

Marseille's council has met here since the Middle Ages. Today, it houses the offices of the mayor, municipal councilors and other administrative offices.

The Notre-Dame de la Garde is an ornate Neo-Byzantine church situated at the highest natural point in Marseille, on the south side of the Old Port. As well as being a major local landmark, it is the site of a popular annual pilgrimage every Assumption Day (August 15).

Commissioned by Saint Charles Eugene de Mazenod, then bishop of Marseille, and designed by the architect Jacques Henri Esperandieu, the church was built between 1853 and 1864.

The church was built on the site of a 13th century chapel, also dedicated to Our Lady of the Watch, the traditional guardian of seafarers.

On a terrace in the northwest of Old Town Marseilles, above the new port installations, stands the mighty Cathedrale de la Major, with two domed towers and a 16m/53ft high dome over the crossing.

It was built between 1852 and 1893 in a mixture of Romanesque and Byzantine styles of alternate courses of white and green limestone. With a length of 141m/463ft it is the most spacious Roman Catholic Church of the 19th C ?

The interior is richly decorated with marble and mosaic; in the crypt can be seen the tombs of the Bishops of Marseilles.

Saint Vincent de Paul church, located at the end of the Allee Leon-Gambetta, a short distance northeast of the port, is often referred to as the Reform Church, since its site formerly belonged to Reform Augustinian monks.

Inspired by thirteenth century Gothic architecture, architect F. Reybaud oversaw the church's construction (1855-88).

The decor has never been completed. The church has survived slow degradation and continual restoration projects.

The Musee des Beaux-Arts resides in Marseilles' Palais Longchamp, northwest of the city centre. This architectural masterpiece in its own right, was built to celebrate the city's access to water during the Second Empire.

French, Italian and Flemish schools of painting conver over two floors. The collection includes works by Perugino, Rubens, David and Courbet, interspersed with sculptures by Puget and Daumier.

The Chateau d'If is a fortress (later a prison) located on the island of If, the smallest island in the Frioul Archipelago, situated in the Mediterranean Sea, about a mile offshore in the Bay of Marseille.

It is famous for being one of the settings of Alexandre Dumas' adventure novel, The Count of Monte Cristo.

Tour boats leave from Marseille's Vieux-Port (Old Harbor) regularly.

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A popular day tour from Marseille will take you to the ancient city of Arles, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated about 46 miles northwest of Marseille.

Discover the Roman Arenas, Ancient Theatre, the church of Saint Trophim, Van Gogh's Cafe and the Forum Place where the statue of Frederic Mistral stands.

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For more tours of Marseille and near-by towns, visit the website: www.viator.com/Marseille

For more information on Marseille, visit: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marseille.