Although it is now a tourist attraction, I wish to know the year the
former French island prison, Chateau d'If in the Bay of Marseille, was
closed as a prison. Thank you.

Rather amazingly, the Château d?If continued to function as a prison
until the last part of the 19th century. In 1890 it ceased to be a
prison and became a national monument and public attraction.

"Château d?If... The fortress closed as a prison in 1890 and was
opened to the public."

Marseille Trips: Château d?If
http://www.marseille.enprovence.com/musee/anglais/lieux.html

"Château d'If...
The castle ceased to be used as a prison at the end of the 19th
century. It was demilitarised and turned into a national monument,
being opened to the public in 1890."

IndexListus: Content from Wikipedia
http://www.indexlistus.de/keyword/Ch%E2teau_d'If.php

"Après avoir accueilli les insurgés de 1848 et les communards de 1871,
la forteresse perdra sa vocation carcérale et sera ouverte au public
en 1890."

Pierre-Marie Sauvaget: Le Chateau d'If 
http://www.psauvaget.freesurf.fr/e%20le%20chateau%20d%20if%20le%20frioul%20.htm

My Google search strategy:

Google Web Search: "chateau OR château d'if" ceased prison
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22chateau+OR+ch%C3%A2teau+d%27if%22+ceased+prison

Google Web Search: "chateau OR château d'if" 1890
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22chateau+OR+ch%C3%A2teau+d%27if%22+1890

I hope this is precisely the information you need. If it is not,
please request clarification; I'll be glad to offer further assistance
before you rate my answer.

Best regards,
pinkfreud

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Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 26 Jan 2005 17:11 PST

I notice that the IndexListus Wikipedia link did not come through in
"clickable" form, since the link contained an apostrophe. The link can
be "cut & pasted," or you can reach the site by clicking on this
abbreviated link:

http://tinyurl.com/57fdt

~pinkfreud

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Request for Answer Clarification by larryjmoore-ga on 26 Jan 2005 18:02 PST

As found in "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas...

"There had been no prisoners in the Chateau d'If since the July Revolution"

The July Revolution was in 1830.  

"After the July Revolution of 1830"
www.hfac.uh.edu/gbrown/philosophers/leibniz/BritannicaPages/Napoleon/Napoleon.html

This doesn't coincide with the prison being shut down and opened to
the public in 1890.

Did Alexandre Dumas fictionalize the prison being emptied in 1830?

Thank you

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Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 26 Jan 2005 18:11 PST

Dumas wasn't fictionalizing. The prison has gone through periods of
use and disuse. It's not uncommon for such things to happen as
political entities come and go. The most recent time that the Château
d?If was "decommissioned" was 1890, but there had been previous times
of idleness.

Similarly, the French penal colony on Devil's Island was closed and
reopened several times before being shut down permanently.

very good and quick answer