City of Carcassonne
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15D-carcassonne EN:092006•PANTHEON_franc?ais 26/03/08 8:39 Page 1 History Visit Restoration work Information History Visit Restoration work Information History Visit Restoration work Information L L L English Glossary For the next 50 years and more, the city of Carcassonne, identified as the finest example of City of C Albigensians: the name given to the Cathars in A medieval military architecture, became one of southern France. 2008. avril Néo-Typo, the biggest restoration sites in Europe. Carcassonne Arrow loops: a vertical slit made for shooting arrows. impression Viollet-le-Duc's concept Exemplary restoration Cathar: meaning “pure” in Greek. Religious D of restoration people who believe in a good world, made by D 2 500 years of history God, opposed to a world of evil. The Cathars et cætera. Caractères In 1853, Viollet-le-Duc proposed a first restor- B preached austerity. ation project, which was the basis of work from Inhabited from ancient times, the site was List: the space between two enclosures traduction 1853 to 1862, on the inner part of the enclosure protected at the time of the Lower Empire by a B Machicolation: a stone overhanging gallery with and the Porte Narbonnaise ( ). He made Gallo-Roman enclosure. This did not however beau fixe. openings in the floor for missiles to be shot realistic and affordable proposals, with nine prevent Visigoth, Saracen and Frankish assail- downwards. roofless towers. ants from each taking possession of it in turn. Portcullis: an iron or wooden grid sliding réalisation Eugène Viollet-le-Duc In 1862, Viollet-le-Duc applied for a second downwards to close off a passageway. and the restoration of the city project moving on from the pragmatism of the From independence to annexation first one and aiming for full restoration. The Plein Sens, Anders. Anders. Plein Sens, Porte Saint-Nazaire (C) was one site involved. Practical information The damaged city The Middle Ages were dominated by the power- Between Viollet-le-Duc's death in 1879 and ful Trencavel dynasty. The city played an conception 1910, the architect Paul Boeswillwald completed Castle tour with wall-walk takes on average: In 1659, the Roussillon region became part of important role in the South the restoration campaign. He continued to rid 1 hour France, marking the decline of the city of of France in the 12th century. the walls of extraneous buildings: a total of 112 Tour of the walls takes on average: 45 minutes Carcassonne. The bourgeois went to live in the The Cathar religion became houses in the lists* were expropriated and des- Guided tours. Lecture tours. lower town. In the early 19th century, the very influential, and in 1208 troyed. Audio-guide tours military garrison on the site found it difficult to Pope Innocent III called for Tours suitable for disabled visitors. maintain the fortifications. François Brosse, Tout pour plaire. pour plaire. Tout François Brosse, a crusade against the The walls were used as stone quarries and fell Roofing Albigensians*. Carcassonne into ruin. was besieged and surrendered. The Centre des monuments nationaux publishes a collection illustrations Viollet-le-Duc covered the pointed roofs with of guidebooks about French monuments, translated into several Annexed to the royal languages. Éditions du patrimoine publications are on sale A wake-up call lauze, the local slate. In the 1960s, attempts domain in 1226, the town became the fortified in the bookshop-giftshop. were made to diversify the appearance of the site that can still be seen today. Centre des monuments nationaux The learned gentry of Carcassonne, including city to reflect various shapes from different Château comtal de la cité de Carcassonne Jean-Pierre Cros-Mayrevieille, moved into periods of history, with the reintroduction of Rediscovery and restoration 1 rue Viollet-le-Duc action and in 1835 they gained the support of flat, tiled roofs on the Gallo-Roman towers (D). 11000 Carcassonne The uniform aspect of the original restoration tél. 04 68 11 70 77 Prosper Mérimée, the inspector of historic Before the signature of the Treaty of the fax 04 68 11 70 71 was thus lost. monuments. Pyrenees in 1659, Carcassonne protected the www.monuments-nationaux.fr In 1844, the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc border between France and Aragon. In the 19th Ph. Berthé © Centre des monuments nationaux, Paris. Paris. nationaux, Berthé des monuments © Centre Ph. was put in charge of restoring the Saint-Nazaire century, the architect Viollet-le-Duc restored the and Saint-Celse basilica (A). He subsequently city and its mediaeval look. It was listed as a undertook a complete study of the fortifications crédits photos UNESCO world heritage site in 1997. which was used as the basis for their restoration. *Explanations overleaf. *Explanations overleaf. 15D-carcassonne EN:092006•PANTHEON_franc?ais 26/03/08 8:39 Page 5 History Visit Restoration work Information L 15 - 16 10 to 14 1 to 4 8 The inner wall. This section still includes several 14 In the Roman era, Carcassonne was a prosperous 4th-century Roman towers. They have a distinctive place thanks to its location on the trade route U shape, rounded on the outside, and feature between Toulouse and Narbonne, before the 17 brick courses. During the siege of the city in 1209, construction of the first enclosure in the 4th only this enclosure existed. century to protect it against barbarian invasions. 9 9 The Aude barbican, on the site of Saint-Gimer B church (1859), was a major element in the defence Changes to the castle 5 6 of the castle. Joined to the latter by a passageway protected by high walls that still stand today, it 15-16 The Trencavels' first castle, in the early 7 8 guarded the access to the river. 12th century, was built on the Roman wall. The chapel was built and at the end of the century the Founding a “museum” perpendicular wing was added. Before the troubled 5 A Welcome desk years of the crusades against the Cathars, the A and tickets 10 Since 1927 the medieval rooms, which have been defences were strengthened with crenellations and B Toilets altered at different times in order to house military the watch tower was raised. In 1226, Carcassonne Viewing point garrisons, have been home to a collection of was annexed to the domain of the king of France sculptures from buildings in Carcassonne and the and the enclosure wall and barbican were built Exemplary architecture The medieval defences outlying area. close to the city partly to provide protection from 11 Alabaster objects from the early 15th century the populace. 1 Eugène Viollet-le-Duc greets visitors with two 5 The barbican, with its crenellated walls, was the illustrate three episodes from the Passion of In the 13th and 14th centuries, the fortress was gargoyles, copies which were intended for the first obstacle met by assailants who then had to Christ. They come from a reredos in a church in transformed into a lordly residence: buildings were Saint-Nazaire basilica, and a view of the city. cross the open space within reach of the castle's the destroyed city. The 14th-century Smiling built in the southern courtyard and the residences 2 Carcassonne, a model of mediaeval military crossbowmen. This space also enabled the defenders Madonna is probably the work of an artist from were raised. architecture, was one of the greatest restoration to muster their troops. Sienna in Italy. The keep: Above the twin windows, in the wall sites in 19th-century Europe. The original 4th- The bridge had a mobile section. During the life of 12 The lower town called “bastide Saint-Louis” was cladding, the marks of the old crenellations show century enclosure was still protecting the city these defences, the castle was never taken. founded during the siege in 1240: Raymond Roger the height of the fortifications at the beginning of during the siege of 1209. From 1226, the city was 6 The entrance gate to the city was heavily Trencavel aided by the inhabitants failed in his the 13th century. Lower down, there are holes to fortified by a second enclosure, which was moder- defend-ed: two portcullises* were commanded attempt to recapture the city from the seneschal of drain away rainwater. nised at the end of the 13th century by the kings from the control rooms located on different levels the king of France. The royal forces burned the 17 In the southern courtyard the ground and walls of France. to provide protection from any possible treachery outlying district and Louis IX (Saint Louis) only still bear remains showing the size of the state 3 The two enclosures meet at the late-13th-century on the part of the soldiers. The mechanism of the gave permission for it to be rebuilt seven years room of the seneschals of the king of France, square Bishop's Tower, which stretches across first portcullis* passed through a hole in the floor later, on the other side of the river. added in the 13th or 14th century. them and controls movement in the lists*. Close and was also used as a machicolation*. The arrow In the early 14th century, the new city became one 18 The site of the chapel dedicated to the Virgin by, the Porte d'Aude is one of the four ways into loops* in the towers were used for bows or of the large textile centres in the Languedoc Mary in the 12th-century castle can be seen on the the city. cross-bows. region. ground. 4 The basilica of Saint Nazaire and Saint Celse 7 The hoarding is a wooden gallery at the top, 13 The keep of the Viscounts Trencavel.