The castle of If seen from the ground (Photo : Jean-Claude MOUTON)Īmong the remarkable features of the château d'If are the graffiti, left as witnesses of the past by prisoners, visitors and soldiers who have passed through. Successively stronghold, prison and mythical place (the account of Monte Cristo, Edmond Dantes, is designated prisoner of the castle in the novel written in 1844 by Alexandre Dumas), the castle of If can be reached by boat, from the old port of Marseille.
Our selection - incomplete - of forts on the coasts of France The Yew Castle (1) The castle of If (Photo : Jeanne Menjoulet)īetween 15, Francis I had this citadel built off the coast of the city of Marseille with the threefold objective of protecting Marseille, providing an anchorage for the royal fleet and covering the exits from the neighboring city. This is where the principles of concentric defenses such as the Fort de La Prée came from. Let us recall that Vauban's strategy was not to create impregnable fortresses, but buildings that would require ten times more men to take ( and therefore of efforts ) to the attackers than there were men to attack.
If Vauban is the most famous expert in poliorcetics (the art of organizing the attack or the defense during the siege of a city, a place or a stronghold) charged by King Louis XIV to set up a series of defenses, he is not the only one of the craftsmen of these numerous forts and citadels protecting the arsenals and other key points of the French coasts. A torch light or strong flashlight and proper footwear are highly recommended.Maritime fortifications have existed for centuries as key elements in the defense of coastlines and ports.
The ruins are free to explore, but there are spots that can be dangerous and requires great attention. It’s hidden amongst the forest, and a visit feels as though stepping into another world. Tarakanivsky Fort now belongs to the Ministry of Defense. Tarakanivskyy once contained room for lodging, stores, jails, a small church, and also a hospital.
The massive fortress accessed through a hundred-meter long tunnel that was used to transport equipment into and out of the fort.
During World War II, when German troops occupied the fort, there were rumors that Nazi scientists were using the space to conduct gruesome experiments on prisoners in a secret laboratory-with the aim of creating super soldiers. Some locals maintain that the village is still inhabited by the ghosts of soldiers who died within the fort’s walls over centuries of occupation by Ukrainian, Russian, and German forces. Dating back to the time of Imperial Russia, the massive brick and mortar fortress was constructed during the 18th and 19th centuries to help protect the Lviv-Kyiv rail road and the surrounding area.įast forward to the 20th century, the ruined fort has also been a set piece for the film industry, most notably for a scene from the film, Inglourious Basterds. From there, walk one kilometer into the woods and only the most intrepid of explorers will find the fortress of Tarakanov. If you are looking for hidden places, rich in mystery and history, then just take the road between Kyiv and Lviv by the village of Chop.