Are you looking to explore the history of Marseille through the ages? There are a number of historical destinations in Marseille including the time-honored buildings, monuments, palaces, and parks where you can learn about the glorious past of Marseille. The presence of these historical sites and museums will take you on a walk through Marseille ‘s rich history.
If you are willing to have an in-depth historical information about Marseille, we recommend that you take a wonderful guided tour to cover the major historical attractions. Also, check the opening and closing time for each so that you can organize your time. Make sure that you go through the complete list of historical places in Marseille for a great trip!
Top Historical Places in Marseille
Let's witness the history of Marseille with these top historical places - monuments and landmarks:
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Fort Saint-jean
(794 Votes)
Located at the entrance to the Old Port this massive museum, dedicated entirely to the history and culture and impact of the Mediterranean, has three major sections. Only two of them are at this location. These are the J4 building and the For Saint Jean. The third building, Centre de Conservation et de Ressources in the Belle de Mai neighbourhood, merely stores the museum’s collections i...Read more -
Cathedrale De La Major
(1228 Votes)
It’s just a really big, really impressive looking cathedral. The building you see today was built on the remains of a smaller 12th century Romanesque cathedral of which only the choir and a bay of nave remain. Even before that there was a 5th century church on the spot. The current cathedral is Byzantine-Roman in style and it’s the sixth largest cathedral in the world. Upto 3000 peo...Read more -
Palais Du Pharo
(788 Votes)
When Prince-President Louis-Napoleon visited Marseille in 1852, he said liked the city a lot and wouldn’t mind staying. Eager to please its illustrious guest, the city gave the prince the Pharo headland where he went ahead and built this beautiful palace. And that was that, because he never even stayed there. The Empress later gave the place back to the city. Today it’s used as a co...Read more -
Chateau D'if
(486 Votes)
It’s not the only prison of its kind in the world (Cannes has it’s Lerin Islands), but it’s the only one that Edmond Dantes of Alexandre Dumas’ Count of Monte Cristo was imprisoned in. The island is a heavily fortified prison with steep cliffs adorned by gun platform – an escape proof prison that no invading navy ever took. You know what? Looks are deceptive &ndash...Read more -
The Chateau or French Castle was built here in the 18th century to replace an older country house. The architectural style used was eclectic, making use of a mix of Louis XII, Byzantine and Roman styles of architecture. Five hectares of lovely parks surround the castle with a number of absolutely beautiful flowers like daffodils, irises, cedar, magnolia, and wild asparagus found in abundance. I...Read more -
This gate used to mark the entry point into the city from the road to Aix-en-Provence. Usually such arches commemorate something specific, but after failing to confirm ending the American War of Independence at the the Peace of Paris in 1783, and remaining undecided on French victories in the Spanish Expedition, it was decided to be themed on the general idea of Victory. The architecture is bas...Read more -
This contemplative site bears a solemn looking monument. It pays tribute to the soldiers who died fighting in the Orient in the WWI. That’s why it faces east. It is the work of architect Gaston Castel, and it was inaugurated on 24 April 1971. The view is nice, looking out into the bay. There are benches at the foot of the monument. The symbolism of the monument is supposed to evoke themes...Read more -
This basically takes some of the most fun indoor sports-ice skating, ice hockey, skating, BMXing, skateboarding and go-karting - and puts them all under one roof. The arena is actually home to the local Marseille ice hockey team, and sometime there are matches. It is a ridiculously fun space, and not at all what you’d expect to find. Sometimes they even set up a badminton net on the ice. -
Look at the facade of this house. You will see thousands of diamond-shaped protrusions carved into it. That's where the house gets its name from. It said the house was built either in the late 16th century or the early 17th century. That would make it one of the oldest buildings in the city. At different points in the house's history, everybody from the city mayor to the immigrant workers have ...Read more -
One can follow the Boulevard Longchamp where one can see a nice example of old upper class buildings to arrive to PalaisLongchamp. The palais is also worth visiting. -
In Marseilles, you can indulge in some great recreation with your family at the Palais Omnisports Marseille Grand Est, an ice skating rink. Inaugurated in 2009, the Palais Omnisports has a sports rink and an ice rink where you can skate for leisure. They have a sliding space where you can also ride snow scooters and bikes. It is a great place for kids and a fun place for entertainment. You can ...Read more -
If you are a history buff who can’t get enough of World War Trivia, a trip to the Memorial Des Camps De La Mort in Marseille in France is a must. The Memorial Des Camps De La Mort or the Memorial Camps of Death is a museum that is housed in what was a former internment camp during World War II and was built in 1939. At the Memorial you can explore and go through the archives storing detai...Read more