The fortified city of Carcassonne

panorama
Located in the south of France , between Perpignan and Toulouse, in the Languedoc-Roussillon area, the city of Carcassonne is especially known as a fortified medieval village . Its history dates back to the 6th century BC . as a Roman city and later fortified, in the 4th century, in response to three centuries of specific invasions as it was a border town to the north of the Visigoth kingdom. After the Muslim occupation, in the years 725 to 759, Carcassone passed into the hands of the Franks and during the feudal era it emerged as a principality, extending its dominions to Nimes.

Marked by the great influence of the Cathar religion, in 1208 he embarked on a crusade against the Albigenses that resulted in a new territorial conquest, annexing the royal domain in 1226. From then until the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees , Carcassone was a key piece of the border defense device between France and Aragon. Already, in 1997, the city became inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage list .

entry
Castle, walls and towers

There are four access gates to the interior of the city, located in the walls and coinciding with the cardinal points:

The Narbonne Gate . Located in the eastern section and named for being oriented towards the city with the same name. It dates from the year 1280 and is made up of two towers on three levels, which frame a central defense body. The access door is reinforced by a double rake and guarded by machicolations , from which projectiles could be launched, in case of attack. In order to withstand the times of siege, a chamber was set up in the north tower to store food and the south tower was equipped with a water cistern.

In 1859 a rehabilitation was carried out that gave it a kind of drawbridge that did not originally exist.

porta-acces
The gate of the Aude . So called because it is open to the river Aude, in the western part of the complex. It is the sector with the most difficult access to the fortified enclosure, protected by a barbican, a castle and a machicolation (platform with holes to launch projectiles, located in the upper part of the wall).

Its configuration reveals a sophisticated defensive system: doors that do not really exist, in order to evade an intrusion attempt, and corridors with nooks and crannies that become a labyrinthine trap, exposing the invader to shots from all angles. .

The access ramp had its beginning in the barbican, which has now disappeared. The ascent was made through curves and turns to make entry difficult.

The origin of this part of the wall is Visigothic and its reinforcement consisted of being elevated on the wall itself and reinforced with three buttresses (13th century).

walls
The door of the town or of Rodez . Located to the north and guarded by two towers, this simple gate communicated the city with the old town of Saint-Vincent and its defense was made up of the Notre-Dame barbican and the Mourétis tower.

The Saint-Nazaire gate . Located in the tower with the same name, in the southern part of the enclosure. It gives access to the wall and the citadel through a passageway protected by machicolations and loopholes (vertical, narrow and deep openings that were located in the walls and allowed to launch arrows or crossbows).

Its original defensive approach was very complex, but the structure was modified in the mid-19th century, losing its character.

towers
Along the wall, different towers with their own stories will delight us in this visit to the past of this beautiful walled city: the Visigoth tower, the Inquisition tower, the Cahuzac tower or the My Father tower. The cathedral of Saint-Nazaire et Saint-Celse , inside the enclosure or the lapidary museum , on the first floor of the castle are other important elements included in the visit to Carcassone.