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France World Heritage Site: The Fortified City of Carcassonne

03/07/2014

France World Heritage Site: The Fortified City of CarcassonneFrance has 37 UNESCO World Heritage Sites scattered throughout the country. From cities to beaches, mountains to canals. No trip to France would be complete without visiting one of these cultural sites.

The Fortified City of Carcassonne is one such place. Located in the department of Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon Region, this city was given UNESCO World Heritage status in 1997 and is proud to be the number one tourist draw to France after the Tour Eiffel.

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Carcassonne is the picture perfect example of a medieval town - with its huge defences surrounding the stunning castle and nearby buildings, narrow cobbled streets and its stunning Gothic cathedral. In fact this fortified city is reported to have been the inspiration behind Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.

It’s been home to Romans and Visigoths, but it wasn’t until the late 12th Century when it really thrived under the affluent Trencavel family where it played a major role in cross-border trade with Spain. That was until the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, where Roussillon was restored to France and trading dried up.

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Inevitably the city became neglected. Money was thin and the walls of the Citadel were crumbling, until renowned architect Viollet-le-Duc started restoration work in the 1800’s. The castle and citadel shone once more. The region, and its millions of tourists, have Viollet-le-Duc to thank for being able to visit this beautiful fortified city in all its glory.

Photo credits: Flickr
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