Cité de Carcassonne, Medieval fortress in Carcassonne, France
The fortress features two concentric walls extending three kilometers with 52 stone towers and three barbicans protecting the central castle complex.
The fortifications evolved from Roman foundations through Visigoth occupation until reaching their medieval form during the 13th century Albigensian Crusade period.
The medieval citadel contains narrow streets filled with artisan workshops, restaurants serving regional cuisine, and museums displaying artifacts from different historical periods.
Visitors can access the fortress daily from 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM through guided tours that explain the military architecture and defensive systems.
Each of the 52 towers has distinct architectural elements, demonstrating different construction periods from Roman times through medieval modifications.
Location: Carcassonne
Location: Languedoc-Roussillon
Address: 1 Rue Viollet le Duc, 11000 Carcassonne, France 11000
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 10:00-18:30
Phone: +33468117070
Website: https://remparts-carcassonne.fr
GPS coordinates: 43.20644,2.36379
Latest update: October 23, 2025 10:18
Historical structures in France range from Roman amphitheaters to modern bridges. The buildings display engineering and architectural techniques through multiple periods. Monuments include Gothic cathedrals, Renaissance castles, medieval fortresses, Roman bridges, and contemporary architectural designs. These constructions represent significant periods in French history and architecture.
The region around Carcassonne features an area marked by medieval and Cathar history, with castles, abbeys, and old villages. The Cité of Carcassonne displays its city walls restored in the 19th century by Viollet-le-Duc, while the Canal du Midi has traversed the region for 240 kilometers since the 17th century. The castles of Quéribus and Peyrepertuse overlook the landscape from their rocky spurs at over 700 meters above sea level, serving as the last strongholds of the Cathar resistance in the 13th century. Villages like Minerve and Lagrasse showcase medieval architecture, with narrow streets, ancient bridges, and Benedictine abbeys. The region also includes the four Lastours castles aligned along a ridge, the Saint-Maurice Cathedral in Mirepoix with its 22-meter-wide Gothic nave, and natural sites like Lake Cavayère. These monuments and landscapes form a representative ensemble of the south of France’s historical and natural heritage, accessible from Carcassonne.
Château comtal de Carcassonne
80 m
Basilica of St. Nazaire and St. Celse
153 m
Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
220 m
Église Saint-Gimer de Carcassonne
175 m
Pont-Vieux
573 m
Théâtre Jean Deschamps
218 m
Musée de l'inquisition
148 m
Musée de l'école de Carcassonne
128 m
Porte Narbonnaise
142 m
Porte d'Aude
144 m
Notre-Dame-de-Santé
639 m
Pozo pequeño (s.XIV)
124 m
Hôtel de la Cité
125 m
Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Abbaye de Carcassonne
367 m
Buste de Théophile Marcou
83 m
Musée-trésor de Notre-Dame-de-l'Abbaye de Carcassonne
343 m
Musée lapidaire de Carcassonne
109 m
Monument à Joseph Poux
203 m
Petit Puits
126 m
Grand Puits
117 m
Palais de la Micheline
399 m
Monument de Cros Mayrevieille
63 m
Manufacture royale de draps
463 m
Hôtel de Pelletier
302 m
Chapelle du Petit Saint-Gimer de Carcassonne
211 m
Pipe organ in Carcassona
153 m
Fresque murale du Château de Carcassonne
97 m
Maison de Montmorency
375 mReviews
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Wonderful medieval castle and city where it's nice to wander!
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