page_title: Marseille
section_title: Outside central Marseille
hierarchical_section_title: Marseille / Main sights / Outside central Marseille
caption_attribution_description: English: The Château d'If, view from a boat (Bouches-du-Rhône, France) Français&#160;: Le Château d'If, vu depuis un bâteau (Bouches-du-Rhône, France)
context_page_description: Marseille is the prefecture of the department of Bouches-du-Rhône and region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur in France. It is located on the Mediterranean coast near the mouth of the Rhône. Marseille is the second largest city in France, covering an area of 241 km² and had a population of 870,018 in 2016. Its metropolitan area, which extends over 3,173 km² is the third-largest in France after those of Paris and Lyon, with a population of 1,831,500 as of 2010.
  It was known to the ancient Greeks as Massalia and Romans as Massilia. Marseille is now France's largest city on the Mediterranean coast and the largest port for commerce, freight and cruise ships. The city was European Capital of Culture in 2013 and European Capital of Sport in 2017; it hosted matches at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2016. It is home to Aix-Marseille University.
context_section_description: The main attractions outside the city centre include:
  The 19th-century Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde, an enormous Romano-Byzantine basilica built by architect Espérandieu in the hills to the south of the Old Port. The terrace offers views of Marseille and its surroundings.
  The Stade Vélodrome, the home stadium of the city's main football team, Olympique de Marseille.
  The Unité d'Habitation, an influential and iconic modernist building designed by the Swiss architect Le Corbusier in 1952. On the third floor is the gastronomic restaurant, Le Ventre de l'Architecte. On the roof is the contemporary gallery MaMo opened in 2013.
  The Docks de Marseille, a 19th-century warehouse transformed into offices.
  The Pharo Gardens, a park with views of the Mediterranean and the Old Port.
  The Corniche, a waterfront road between the Old Port and the Bay of Marseille.
  The beaches at the Prado, Pointe Rouge, Les Goudes, Callelongue and Le Prophète.
  The Calanques, a mountainous coastal area, is home to Calanques National Park which became France's tenth national park in 2012.
  The islands of the Frioul archipelago in the Bay of Marseille, accessible by ferry from the Old Port. The prison of Château d'If was one of the settings for The Count of Monte Cristo, the novel by Alexandre Dumas. The neighbouring islands of Ratonneau and Pomègues are joined by a man-made breakwater. The site of a former garrison and quarantine hospital, these islands are also of interest for their marine wildlife.
caption: The Château d'If
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