Carcassonne

Carcassonne

Restored to its medieval look in the 19th century, this walled city or the Cite de Carcassonne is one of the major attractions in France. A backdrop for the 1991 movie Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, in 1997 UNESCO listed Carcassonne as a world heritage site.

With 2,500 years of history, Carcassonne played an important role in the South of France in the 12th century. Before the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, Carcassonne protected the border between France and Aragon. Having lost its position as a strategic frontier, the city was left to decay.

In the 19th century, interest in the middle ages revived and work began to repair and rebuild the walls of the city. Surprisingly, much of the fortified city remains intact and a small population continues to live inside the walls.

The fortifications consist of the inner and outer walls with a double line of ramparts. The Visigoths built the inner rampart in the 5th century. The walls were fortified by Viscount Trencavel in the 12th century and by Louis IX the following century.

Within the walled city is the Basilique St. Nazaire, which dates back to the 11th century. This church contains beautiful stained glass windows and a pair of rose medallions from the 13th century. And the organ, dating back to 1522, is one of the oldest in existence in southwestern France.

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Austin, Lori, and I feel that this is one of the most amazing places we've ever been! A medieval castle with a living town still enclosed by its walls! A once in a lifetime visit experience!