Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

The editors: James & Alex

Château d’If

Posted by Alex Turnbull, Wednesday, 10th August 2005

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The Château d’If is on the small island of If, in the Bay of Marseille, France. It was completed in 1531, and was originally intended as a defence against attacks from the sea, however it never had to fight off an actual attack, and later became one of France’s most notorious prisons. The Château became internationally famous in the 19th century when Alexander Dumas used it as a setting in his classic novel The Count of Monte Cristo.

In our thumbnail you can see the small square building itself, and also the shadows of its three towers (Wikipedia page).

<img src=’http://media.googlesightseeing.com/wp-content/images/chateaudIf.jpg’ alt=’Château d’If’ />

Thanks: w00d

4 Responses to 'Château d’If'

  1. . says:

    Pronunciation for my fellow dirty Americans: “DEEF”

  2. iVince says:

    The main island just west to the chateau d’If is the island of Frioul, long used as a quarantine island for the incoming ships.

  3. Al Cohole says:

    Some planes at the airport… (CL-415 floatplanes, I think) Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth And some more: Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

    Check out the dry docks at the harbour! (You’ll find them.)

    (Hey, my first comment! Coooool…)

  4. Brian South says:

    In the new picture, there is a plane in flight right over the island….

    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth