The first city in France - Marseille

Marseille, the second largest city in France, is also the oldest city in France, a ancient city with a history of 2,500 years. Marseille is not only the largest port in France, but also the largest port in all Mediterranean coastal areas. During the French Revolution in 1792, the people of Marseille sang the 'Rhein River War Song' marching into Paris, which later became the French national anthem, known as 'La Marseillaise'. The main building of the Notre-Dame de la Garde Cathedral has a golden gilded Madonna statue that is 9.7 meters high. It is said that this shining Madonna statue can be seen from almost any angle in Marseille, and the cathedral has therefore become a symbol of Marseille (Figures 1, 8, 9, 10). The cathedral is built on a hill 150 meters high, from where you can overlook the entire city of Marseille and the Mediterranean scenery, which is very spectacular (Figures 6, 7). The old port of Marseille is the true center of Marseille, where you can experience the pure southern French style (Figures 4, 13, 14, 15). The palace of Napoleon III - Longchamp Palace, built in 1862, is a garden building that combines Baroque, Roman and Oriental architectural styles (Figures 2, 11, 12). The Marseille Cathedral is magnificent (Figure 5), and the Marseille train station is like a museum (Figure 18). The last 2 pictures are due to the French bus driver taking the wrong way, allowing us to see another side of Marseille.