Carcassonne is a small city in Languedoc, which gained fame primarily due to its perfectly preserved fortifications. The Old Town of Carcassonne is one of the best preserved medieval architectural and urban complexes in Europe and is inscribed on the UNESCO list.
The first fortifications in the place of today's Carcassonne were built in the 1st century BC by the Romans. They stood on Carsac Hill, which is still the highest point in the whole city today. Medieval fortifications began to be built in the mid-thirteenth century. The city was surrounded by a double ring of walls, which made it virtually impregnable.
At the highest point in the Old Town of Carcassonne stands the Comtal Castle or Castle Counts. He was the seat of the city's superiors and was surrounded by a moat. To this day, the main entrance leads through a stone bridge over a dry moat.
One of the most valuable monuments of Carcassonne is the Romanesque-Gothic Basilica of St. Nazarius and Celsus. Its construction began in the 12th century, and then it was expanded several times.
The present appearance of Carcassonne is the result of a great reconstruction that was carried out in the nineteenth century. Not only was a large part of the walls and houses raised from the ruins, but also "corrections" were made, thanks to which the whole building gained a more fabulous appearance. It can therefore be said that the Old Town is also today an idea of what a medieval castle should look like.
