Narbonne is a city full of monuments situated among wooded hills. The silhouette of a Romanesque-Gothic cathedral towers above the low buildings in its central part. There are also many other interesting buildings, mainly from the Middle Ages, and the area abounds in small villages and monasteries hidden among the hills.
In the Roman period, the city was a very important trade center lying at the crossroads of routes leading to Gaul and Provence. A part of the old Roman road Via Domitia can be seen on its outskirts. It did not lose its importance in the Middle Ages as well. There was a river port here, and the merchant caravans leading through these areas had to stop in Narbonne and pay the authorities the appropriate tolls.
The symbol of the city's prosperity in the Middle Ages is the unfinished Romanesque-Gothic cathedral in Narbonne. Its construction began in the 12th century and was stopped more than 200 years later. Both Romanesque and Gothic elements are visible in its body, while inside, the attention is drawn to a huge baroque altar. Near the cathedral, you can see the Archbishop's Palace-Museum of Art and History of Narbonne and the Archbishop's Garden. In the Old Town, there is also a Romanesque-Gothic church of St. Paul and the chapel of the Heavenly Penitents, very strict in its appearance.
In addition to sights, Narbonne also has modern attractions, such as the Aquajet Water Park. In turn, its surroundings encourage trips to small villages and valleys. One of the pearls of this area is the Romanesque Abbey of Fontfroide, surrounded by a picturesque garden.
