Fort Saint-Jean

The entrance to the port harbour of Marseille from the north side is guarded by Fort Saint-Jean - a majestic building, which for all the years of its existence has failed to prove itself as the defender of the city from the enemy.

In the XII century, Fort Saint-Jean was the starting point of the Crusader knights in their campaigns against the heterodox, and under King René of Anjou, the first defensive structure appeared in it - the square watchtower Tour Carr e. Almost a hundred years later, a lighthouse appeared here, and now its lantern is visible from the sea for almost 20 kilometers. The construction of the fortress was taken care of by King Louis XIV, and its purpose was not to repel attacks from the sea, but rather to constantly control the rebellious inhabitants of Marseille. No wonder the guns on the fortress walls were turned not towards the harbor, but towards the city quarters.

In the XX century, the fortifications were almost completely destroyed: on the territory of the bastion there was a German ammunition depot, and in 1944 they exploded. After the war, the fort served as a gathering point for the French Foreign Legion before being sent to Algeria.

Today, work is underway to create the Museum of Mediterranean Civilization, a new building designed by architect Rudy Ricciotti. He conceived the building as an almost transparent parallelepiped with his own harbor. The museum is scheduled to open in the summer of 2013.