Carcassonne Fortress

The origins of the Fortress of Carcassonne date back to Gallo-Roman times, when the Roman settlement of Carcasso was established here in the 1st century BC. In the 3rd century AD, a first wall ring was built to protect the colony, whose horseshoe-shaped towers can still be seen in the inner wall today. After changing occupations by Visigoths and Arabs, Carcassonne fell to the Franks in the 8th century. In the 12th century, the Comtal Castle was built. The city played a central role in the Albigensian Crusade and was captured in 1209 after a two-month siege. In the 13th century, under royal rule, the fortress was massively expanded, receiving its characteristic double ring wall and was subsequently considered impregnable. With the shift of the French border, Carcassonne lost strategic importance from 1659. In the 19th century, the heavily dilapidated fortress was extensively restored under the direction of architect Viollet-le-Duc and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

The Fortress of Carcassonne is located in the city of Carcassonne in the Aude department, in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France. It stands at an elevation of approximately 139 meters above sea level.

Today, the fortified city of Carcassonne is a vibrant open-air museum and can be visited by tourists. It is an extensive, well-preserved historical monument that offers deep insights into medieval architecture and way of life.

• Château de Pomas (castle), approx. 12.1 km away
• Château de Villarlong (castle), approx. 12.5 km away
• Châteaux de Lastours (castle), approx. 14.6 km away
• Château de Belcastel-et-Buc (castle), approx. 19.6 km away