History
Sightseeing 
Local Gastronomy
Useful information Marseille is one of the oldest cities in France. It was originally founded by a group of Greek sailors on 600 B.C., and although retaining its independence until 100 B.C., it was eventually absorded by the Roman Empire just like the rest of France. The Romans named it Masillia, and up until the fall of the Empire, it was the place of birth for many rulers, including the Visigoths and the emperor Charlemagne - who, in fact, granted political power to Marseille and guided it towards a prosperity that lasted for many centuries. Over the course of time, Marseille came to face many difficult periods, until ti became part of France in 1480 and gained the status of crucial trade port and primary military base of France in the Mediterranean Sea. During the French Revolution, Marseille pushed for its independece - in fact, it composed La Marseillaise, which is the national anthem of France. The French Republic marked a second period of growth for Marseille, with particular emphasis on the development of manufacturing and industry throughout the 19th century. The city suffered much destruction during the Second World War, and afterwards fell into a recession. Nevertheless, Marseille was rebuilt in 1950 by means of war reparations paid by Germany. Furthermore, from 1950 onwards, the city experienced a surge of immigrants, which contributed to the Marseille's cultural diversity that remains a dominant aspect of the city to this day.
