User:Equendil/Fortified City of Carcassonne

The Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne (French Cité de Carcassonne) is a medieval architectural ensemble located near the modern French city of Carcassonne in the Aude department, in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It is situated on the right bank of the Aude river, south east of the modern city. The fortified city, whose origins trace back to the Gallo Roman period, is reknown for its double defensive wall, nearly 3km long and comprised of 52 towers, dominating the valley. The city also feature a castle (château comtal) and the Basilique St Nazaire.

Saved from demolition and restored in the XIXth century by Viollet le Duc, the fortified city is, since 1997, listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The castle, defensive walls, lices (the space between the two defensive walls) and towers belong to the state, and are managed by the centre des monuments nationaux, the rest of the historic city belongs to the municipality.

Geography
The fortified city of Carcassone is located on the Aude river, overlooking the modern city on the west side. It is situated between the Montagne Noire ("black mountain") and the Pyrenees on a communication axis going from the Mediterranean sea to the Atlantic ocean. The presence of the two mountain chains form a windy corridor often cited by climatologists. The fortified city is a strategic location in the south of France, overlooking a major hub, northward towards the Montagne Noire, southward towards the Corbières, westward towards the Lauragais plain, and eastward the viticultural plains towards the Mediterranean

The fortified city was built on the end of a plateau carved by the Aude river, about 150 m above the modern city. The first defensive wall, built by the Visigoths follows the topography of the terrain,. The plateau splits from the Corbières massif near Palaja at an altitude of 260m, goes on through the fortified city at an altitude of 148m, and ends in the Aude river at an altitude of 100m. . On the west side, the declination is quite steep, making access difficult for potential invaders. On the east side, the declination is more gradual, providing easy access for goods, but also assailants. For that reason, the main defensive system is situated on this side of the city.

2,500 years of history
The fortified city has been successively a proto historic site, a Gallo Roman city, a visigoth fortress, a comté, a vicomté, and finaly a Royal sénéchaussée. Each step between the roman period and the end of the medieval era has left vestiges in the city.

From Gallo Romans to Visigoths
Vestiges of a fortified oppidum, oppidum Carcaso, close to the location of the city have been found by archaeological excavation. The site was already an important trade hub, as attest ancient campanian and amphoras. Around the 3rd century BC, a celtic tribe, the Volcae Tectosages take hold of the region, and fortify the oppidum of Carcaso. Pliny the Elder mentions the oppidum in his writings under the name Carcaso Volcarum Tectosage. They already extracted gold from the Salsigne mine to constitute offerings to their gods.

In 122 BC, the Romans peaceful annexed the region integrating it in the Gallia Narbonensis province created in 118 BC. The Romans were not new to the region since their merchants had been trading there for two hundred years. During the Pax Romana, the small Gallo Roman city of Carcaso now capital of the colony Julia Carcaso, prospered, probably thanks to the commerce of wine and its location on trading routes: the city was next to the a Roman road going from Narbonne to Toulouse, and barges (flat bottomed boat) navigate on the Atax (Aude river) overlooked by the oppidum, enlarged during that period. The city, however, doesn't have any public place or religious monument. An agglomeration runs along the Roman road, on the footstep of the oppidum.

During the IIIrd century, the city, as in the rest of the Roman Empire, suffers from various attacks, forcing the inhabitants to live behind a first defensive wall. In 333 AD, writings of a pilgrim mention the castellum of Carcassonne. The defensive wall is still visible in certain sections of the current walls. The towers of la Marquière, Samson and of the Moulin d'Avar still partly intact, bear witness of those primitive fortifications. The wall protects the city from attacks and control the passages on the Roman road below.

In the middle of the Vth century, the Wisigoths, barbarian people, take posession of the Languedoc, after having sojourned in Italy for a long time. The fortified city becomes a border city in the north of their realm, thanks probably to the victory of Ataulphe during a march on Toulouse. . The city slowly benefits of a relative peace until the reign of Alaric II, as attest the large number of money coins of the visigoth monarchs of the time. In 507, the Visigoths are forced to leave Aquitaine by the Franks, but keep the Septimanie that includes the city of Carcassonne. In 508, Clovis launches an attack against the Visigoths to take the city. In 585, a new attack of Gontran, frankish king of Burgundy is met with success. But the visigoths take the city back soon thereafter, which they keep ruling until 713. During the VIth century, Carcassonne became, with ([Agde]] and MAguelonne, the seat of a bishophric. A visigoth cathedral, the location of which is unknown, was built.

In 725, the (wali Ambisa) took Carcassonne following the conquest of the Visigoth kingdom of Spain by muslims. The city remained in the hands of muslims until 752, on which date it was retaken by the Franks led by Pippin the Short. This episode was the inspiration for a story La légende de Dame Carcas detailled further later in this article.

Feudal era


The beginning of feodalism was marked by the expansion of the city and its fortifications, as well as the construction of the cathedral starting in 1096 and that of the comtal castle in the XIIth century. Two barracks originally constituted the castle, to which a chapel was added in 1150. Around 1240, the a second floor was added to the castle.

This was also the era of the counts of Carcassonne. The first count, named by the Carolingians was Bellon, succeded by Oliba II. The counts had for role the administration of the region on behalf of the Carolingian kingdom. In the 9th century, the latin locution City of Carcassonne is found on a regular basis in texts and official charters. In 1082, the Trencavel family took possession of the city, taking advantage of the demise of the House of Barcelona, the rightful owners, and annex it to a vast area from Carcassonne to Nîmes.

The city prospered under Bernard Aton IV Trencavel, viscount of Albi, Nîmes and Béziers, who founded numerous contructions. During that period, a new religion, catharism takes root successfully in Languedoc. in 1096, the viscount of Trencavel approved of the construction of the Saint Nazaire basilica, the material of which was blessed by pope Urbain II. In 1107, the Carcassonais reject the suzerainty of Bernard Aton, who had promised to give the city back to its original owner Raimond-Bérenger III of Barcelone and call the count of Barcelone to oust him. However, with help from Bertrand de Tripoli, count of Toulouse, Bernard Aton regained control of the city. In 1120, the Carcassonnais revolted again, but Bernard Aton suppressed it a few years later. In 1130, he ordered the construction of the comtal castle, denominated palatium and repairs of the gallo-roman walls. From that point on the City was fully surrounded by its fist fortification.

During that period, the city was rich, and its population is estimated between 3,000 and 4,000 people including inhabitants of two bourgs located down the fortified walls: bourg Saint Viencent, on the north side, and bourg Saint Michel, south of the Narbonnaise gate. In 1192, the city gains a consulat, composed of notables and bourgeois, administering the city, then in 1229, a custom charter (custom house ?).

In 1208, pope Innocent III, facing the rise of catharism, called the Albigensian crusade. The count of Toulouse, accused of heresy, and his main vassal the viscount of Trencavel, were the target of attacks. On the first of August 1209, the city was besieged by the crusaders. Raimond-Roger Trencavel surrendered rapidly, on the 15th, negotiating the safety of the inhabitants. The bourgs around the city were destroyed. The viscount died from dysentery in his own prison in the castle, on the 10th of November 1209. Other sources claim he was assassinated by order of Simon de Montfort but nothing is certain. From then on, the city became the headquarters for the crusaders.

The land was given to Simon IV of Montfort, leader of the crusader army. He died in 1218 during the siege of Toulouse and his son, Amaury VI of Montfort took possession of the city by proved unable to administer it. He ceded his rights to Louis VIII of France, but Raymond VII of Toulouse and the counts of Foix allied against him. In 1224, Raimond II Trencavel took back the city after Amaury fled. A second crusade wwas launched by Louis VIII in 1226 and Raimond Trencavel was forced to flee. The city was from that point on incorporated into the royal domain and became a sénéchaussée. A period of terror began within the city. The cathare hunt led to the multiplication of execution by burning and rampant denunciations, with the establishment of the Inquisition, the house of which can still be soon nowadays inside the city.

Royal Era
Louis IX of France ordered the construction of a second defensive wall so the fortified city could sustain long sieges. In that period, the region was threatened by numerous menaces: Raimon Trencavel, expatriated in Aragon, still claimed and seeked to regain his lands, and the king of Aragon, Jacques I of Aragon is another threat to the region, close to his kingdom. Moreover, the new construction was a mean to mark spirits and earn the confidence of the population. The city was part of the system of defense in the border between France and Aragaon. The first constructions were associated to the the comtal castle (adossé) to the west wall. It was surrounded with new walls and towers within the city itself to ensure the protection of royal representatives. Following that, a second line of fortification was started over roughly a kilometre and a half with 14 towers. That wall was flanked with a barbican controlling the area near the Aude river.

In 1240, Raimond Trencavel tried to take back the city, with the help of feudal lords. He occupied the bourgs located on the bank of the Aude, and gained the assistance of their inhabitants who dug tunnels from their house to sap the base of the compound. The double fortification played its defensive role slowing down Raimond Trencavel. The garrison, led by the sénéchal Guillaume des Ormes withstood the attack. Raimond Trencavel was soon forced to lift the siege and retreat from the reinforcement of Louis IX. In 1247, he gave up his claim on the city in presence of the king. The city of Carcassonne was definitively attached to the French kingdom and from that point on governed by sénéchaux.

From that date, the fortified place did not suffer any more attacks, not even during the Hundred Years War. Further developments and expansions can be regrouped in three phases. The first works began immediately following the last attack of the City. Walls were repaired, the lices were made flat, additional floors were added to the castle, and the justice tower was built. The second phase took place under Philippe III of France :comprising the construction of the arbonnaise gate, the Trésau tower, the Saint Nazaire gate, nearby walls, as well as repairs of certain gallo-roman towers and the barbacanne of the comtal castle. The Saint Vincent and Saint Michel bourgs were rased to avoid another collusion between their inhabitants and besiegers as happened during the last siege. Finally, a third phase took place during the reign of Philippe the Fair that consisted in a modernisation effort. Numerous parts of the compound were rebuilt using more advanced defensive techniques. The ancient walls on the west side were also renovated.



In 1258, the treaty of Corbeil fixed the border between France and Aragaon near Carcassonne, in the Corbières. Louis IX renounced suzerainty over Catalogna and Roussillon in exchange of which the king of Aragon abandonned his claims over the lands in Languedoc. From then on, the city played a major role in the defensive system of the border. It constituted a second line of convincing defense behind advanced posts such as the castle of Puilaurens, the castle of Aguilar, the castle of Quéribus, the castle of Puilaurens and the castle of Termes, known as the « five sons of Carcassonne ». During the XIIIth century, the city of Carcassonne was one of the best fortified places of France and was used as an armoury for its allies. The city was never attacked or threatened, thus the number of troops garrisoned there was slowly decreased. By the end of the XIVth century, the city was not able to withstand the new gunpowder weapons. Nevertheless, its location at the border remained a strategic advantage and a garrison was maintained. In 1418, men garrisoned in the city generally had a second occupation. During thar period, on the other side of the Aude, a new city, ville basse (lower city) was being built in the form of a fortified town.

Few marking events or major conflicts occured during the royal era. In 1272, the count of Foix, in rebellion, was made prisonner by Phillipe III of France in Carcassonne. In 1283, an alliance treaty was signed between the king of France and the king of Majorca, Jacques I of Aragaon against Pierre II of Aragon. Pope Clement V visited Carcassonne in 1305 and 1309. In 1355, Edward, the Black Prince didn't dare attack the city, too well defended, instead ravaging and pillaging the lower city. The city became a state prison during the XVth century, where ennemies of the king such as Jean IV of Armagnac were kept prisoner. The plagued decimated the people of Carcassonne in 1557. In 1585, the city was attacked by the hugenots but were repelled by the « mortes-payes ».

Between 1560 and 1630, during the French wars of religion, the city remained an important military asset for the catholics. It was attacked by protestants. In 1575, the son of the sire of Villa tried to take the fortress. In 1585, the men of Montmorency tried too, but also failed.

The death of Henry III of France triggered a conflict between the inhabitants of the lower city, faithful to Henry IV, his legitimate successor, and the Duke of Montmorency, and the fortified city, who refused to recognise the new king and sided with the League. During violent combats over a period of two years, the districts of the city near the Aude gate were destroyed and the quarter of la Trivalle was burnt. In 1592, the fortified city rallied the king.

Abandoned City
The city was progressively abandoned beginning in the XVIIth century. In 1657, the présidial, Carcassonne's juridiction is transfered to the lower city. In 1659, Carcassonne lost its status as a strategic position following the treaty of Pyrénées that attached Roussillon to France and moved the border between France and Spain to its modern location. The city was progressively abandoned by wealthy inhabitants, and becomes a poor quarter occupied by weavers. The lices became filled with houses, the towers became storehouses and granaries, the city degenerated quickly.

The episcopal seat was even transfered in 1745 from the Saint Nazaire cathedral in the old city to the lower city. The lower city prospered thanks to its textile industry. In 1790, the chapter is abolished, and the episcopal palace and cloister were sold and eventually demolished in 1795. In 1794, the archives at the Trésau towers were destroyed in a fire. Under the Ancient regime and the French revolution, the military role of the city became that of a mere armoury and food store, then was removed from the list of strongholds and abandoned. The fortified city lost its autonomy as a municipalited and became a district of Carcassonne. The comtal castle was turned into a prison.

The fortified city declined not only socially but also demographically. Between 1819 and 1846, the population decreased by about 30%, from 1490 to 1351 residents, whereas the population increased in the lower city ..



The Cité saved
For the inhabitants of Carcassonne, the medieval city, situated on a hill of difficult access, with its narrow streets and its lices and aged walls make for an unattractive area in contrast to the lower city. As the old city is abandonned, towers fall in disrepair, and most of them are converted into entrepots. The lices are progressively filled with new constructions (in the XIXth century, authorities count 112 houses). The demolition of the medieval city is programmed.

The city is saved from total destruction by Jean-Pierre Cros-Mayrevieille, a notable and historian living on the footstep of the city. As soon as 1835, he decries the destruction of the barbacan, the stones of which are used by local entrepreneurs. The first archaeological work and the discovery of the the chapel of the bishop Radulphe are to be credited to him. The writer Prosper Mérimée, general inspector of historic monuments, falls in love with the city in oblivion. The architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who had started the restoration of the Saint-Nazaire church, is given charge of the city restoration. In 1840, the Saint-Nazaire church inside the city passes under protection of the monuments historiques. That protection is extended to the integrality of the defensive walls in 1862.

In 1853, Napoleon III approves the restoration projects. The financing is supported by the state for 90%, and 10% by the municipality and the general council of Aude. In 1855, modest restoration begins on the west/south west sections of the inner walls. In 1857, restoration follows on the towers of the Narbonnaise gates, and the main entrance of the city. . Fortifications are consolidated here and there, but the main work focuses on restoring the roofs of the towers, battlements and the central castle. Expropriations and destruction of the modern buildings along the walls is ordered. In 1864, Viollet-le-Duc obtains budget for restoring the Saint-Nazaire gate and the external walls of the south section. In 1874, the Trésau tower is restored.

Eugène Viollet-le-Duc left numerous drawings of the city and its modifications. On his death in 1879, his student Paul Boeswillwald pursues his work, followed by the architect Henri Nodet. In 1889, the restoration of the external walls is completed. Restoration of the comtal castle begin the same year. In 1902, major work is finished and the area around the city is clear. In 1911, the last houses inside the walls are demolished, and restoration is considered completed in 1913.

Only 30% of the city was restored. During the restoration, the chanoine Léopold Verguet makes numerous photographies, bearing witness to the (chantier) and life around the city during that period. Another photograph, Michel Jordy, historian and archeologist, also brings his contribution to the preservation of the city through his research and photographies. He is also the founder of the Hôtel de la Cité.

A controversial restoration
As soon as 1850, the restoration of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc are heavily criticized. His detractors, for instance Hippolyte Taine, denounce the difference between the renovated and ruined parts, arguing that the latter are more beguiling. Others, like Achille Rouquet ou François de Neufchâteau regret the gothic character and the « Viollet-le-Duc » style of the modifications. Nowadays, historians outline mainly the mistakes of the restorer. Joseph Poux regrets the bad reconstitution of the gates and windows of the Visigoth towers as well as the bretèche of the Aude gate.

However, it was mostly the choices made for renovating the roofs that were highly criticized. Viollet-le-Duc, experienced in his restorative work on the castle of northern France, chosed to cap the towers with conical roofs made of slates, contrasting with the roman tiles of the regional castles. This choice had for him an historical logic, as Simon de Monfort and the other knights who took part in the Albigensian crusade all came from the north. It is not impossible that those « northeners » had brought with them their own architects and technique. Moreover, Viollet-le-Duc found numerious fragments of slates during the restoration of the city. It is for that reason nowadays, that different types of roofs can be observed in the medieval city.

The drawbridge added to the Narbonnaise gate is also cited as erroneous. Other parts are sometimes considered "too perfect", decreasing the feeling of authenticity. However, despite his mistakes, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc is considered to have performed a remarkable work that gives visitors a coherent, if not faithful, display of the the fortified city. Modern restoration campaigns executed keep the modifications brought to the original by the architect, as they are an historical part of the ensemble.

XXe et XXIe siècles
In 1903, the Cité went from being administered by the Minister of War to the Minister of beaux-arts and in 1918, the army left the Cité of Carcassonne definitively. In 1920, the hôtel de la Cité was built within the town itself betwen the comtal castle and the Saint Nazaire cathedral. The neo gothic construction raised many protests at the time. In 1926, the Monuments Historiques extended their protection to terrains near the remains of the Aude barbacane, access to and the Aude gate, as well as the Grand Puits. In 1942, it is extended again to terrains around the Cité. This last extension protects the immediate surroundings of the walls preventing possible constructions.

In 1944, the Cité of Cacassonne was occupied by German troops who used the comtal castle as storage for ammunition and explosives. Inhabitants were expelled from the Cité. Joë Bousquet, commander of the légion d'honneur, was indignant about the occupation and requested by letter to the prefect the liberation of the Cité considered by all countries as a work of art that must be respected and left free.

In 1961, a museum was set up in the comtal castle. In 1997, the Cité was catalogued as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Nowadays, the Cité has become an important tourist site, visited by over two millions persons each year. Those "classements" allow the state to receive grants towards maintenance of the site. In return, the state must take into account the architecture of the area for new constructions or restorations, and must open the Cité to visitors. The Monuments Historiques handle visits and management of the comtal caste. They recently upgraded the visit course in 2006 and 2007 through the addition of a screening room and new signage.

Architecture of the Cité
Military art largely influenced the architecture of the Cité of Carcassonne. Its defensive system is exceptional in size, complexity and state of conservation. It is the largest fortress in Europe.

Plan of the Cité
Remarkable parts of the Cité include the two walls and several buildings. The inner wall and the gates are in red, the outer wall and barbacanes in yellow:


 * 1 - Narbonnaise gate et Saint-Louis barbican,
 * 2 - Saint-Nazaire gate and barbican
 * 3 - Aude gate,
 * 4 - Bourg gate and Notre-Dame barbican,
 * 5 - Château comtal surrounded by a moat
 * 6 - East Barbican protecting the access to the castle,
 * 7 - Aude barbican, today destroyed,
 * 8 - Saint-Nazaire church.

Walls and towers
The stone of the plateau where the city lies was used for the construction of the walls. It is sandstone or molasse of Carcassonne, extracted in situ or from the nearby hills. Two walls enclose the city separated by a flat space: the lices'. At the time of its use (before use artillery was generalised), the system had numerous defensive advantages. It allowed to attack assaillants from two lines of fire; the external wall, if cleared, slowed down and splitted assaillants; once inside the lices they were particularly vulnerable in a space devoid of shelter. Moreover, the lice made it easy for cavalry to maneuver and fight. . Two distinct lices exist: lower lices on the northern part from the Narbonnaise gate to the Aude gate where the oldest walls are found, dating back to the Visigoths, and the upper lices, on the southern part, where the most recent walls erected under Phillip III are found.

Gallo Roman constructions


The first wall, built on a rocky spur, dates from the Gallo-Roman era; it overlooked the valley and the Aude river. The basement of the original wall are still visible from the lice. It was built with large stones and a very hard mortar. The wall was two to three metres thick. The wall had a perimeter of 1,070m and defended a town covering 7 hectares. It is made of rough-stone and rows of bricks. The bricks ensured the stability of the construction thanks to their flexibility and corrected possible "affaissements".

Out of the 30 towers originally comprising the wall, 17 towers of Gallo-Roman origin, more or less reworked, remain. A single tower was of rectangular shape, the Pinte tower. The other towers recognisable in the west ramparts of the Cité are shaped like a horseshoe on the outside and flat on the inside. The bottom section of the towers, of diameter between 4.50 and 7 metres, are made of solid masonry giving the towers a particularly strong base. Large arched openings in the upper sections offered great effectiveness to thrown weapons of defenders. A system of tipping windows protected those large openings. Towers were covered with flat double edged roof tiles. The height of the towers varied between 11.65m and 13.70m.

Les ouvrages de l'époque médiévale
Durant le XIIIe siècle, les rois de France ordonnèrent la construction d'une seconde enceinte extérieure autour de la Cité. Les tours sont rondes souvent basses et dépourvues de toiture pour n'offrir aucun abri à des assaillants qui les auraient conquises contre les tirs venus de l'enceinte intérieure. L'enceinte est entourée d'un fossé sec sauf aux endroits ou le dénivellé ne rend pas cette défense nécessaire. L'espace entre les deux enceintes est aménagé en lices qui sont utilisées en temps de paix pour les manifestations en tous genres. Les murailles atteignent une hauteur de 10 à 12 mètres.

L'enceinte intérieure est modernisée sous Philippe III Le Hardi et Phillippe IV Le Bel. L'entrée Narbonnaise, la Porte de Saint-Nazaire et la tour du Trésau sont construites. Ces édifices sont caractérisés par la hauteur impressionnante de leurs murs et l'emploi de pierres à bossage. La construction de l'enceinte est plus complexe et repose sur des fondations plus profondes que l'enceinte gallo-romaine car elle atteint la roche du plateau. La réalisation de l'enceinte extérieure et des lices a nécessité de décaisser le terrain naturellement pentu. Une partie des soubassements extérieurs de l'enceinte gallo-romaine ont été mis à nu par ce terrassement et a du faire l'objet d'une consolidation.

Le chemin de ronde permettait de faire tout le tour de la Cité en traversant les tours. Au Moyen Âge, la courtine est élargie grâce à un système de charpente en bois suspendu créant un abri au dessus du vide. Ce système placé à cheval sur le rempart du nom de hourd permettait aux arbalètriers de tirer avec précision au milieu des lices. Des échauguettes sont construites sur la saillie de certaines murailles comme l'échauguette de la Vade.

Les tours médiévales diffèrent des tours Wisigoths tout en gardant leur forme extérieure caractéristique avec une façade extérieure bombée et une façade intérieure plate. Les échelles de bois sont remplacées par des escaliers intérieurs en pierre. La base des tours est fruitée c'est-à-dire renflée afin que les projectiles ricochent sur la tour et se retournent contre les assaillants situés au pied de la muraille.

The gates
The walls are pierced by four main gates providing access inside the city. They are located on the four cardinal directions.

The Narbonnaise gate
The Narobonnaise gate, located on the east side, was built circa 1280 during the reign of Phillip III. Its orientation towards Narbonne gave it its name. Viollet-le-Duc restored the crenellation and the slate roof between 1859 and 1860, and gave it a psedu drawbridge that didn't exist originally. The gate is made of two imposing towers, reinforced by (beaks) to deflect ennemy shots. The door is protected by a double portcullis reinforced by an (assomoir) and arrow slits. . The towers have three floors on the ground floor. The ground floor and the first floor are vaulted, while the upper floors only have a simple wooden floor. The north tower has a cellar for goods, the south tower a water cistern, giving defenders the possibility to withstand a lasting siege.

A statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary is located in a recess above. On the opposite side, the gate is protected by the Saint Louis barbacan. A guerite on the right side of the door allowed direct fire on the assaillants if they took the barbacan.

Saint Nazaire gate
On the south side, the Saint Nazaire gate is built within the tower of the same name, one of the square towers of the city. It's a complex defense mechanism; in a very bad shape, Viollet-le-Duc restored it between 1864 and 1866.

The tower protects the Saint Nazaire cathedral situated just behind, 25 meters inside the city. It's equipped with four guerites; the gateway to the the lice and the city makes a right angle. Each entry of the passage is protected by a defensive system: machicolation, portcullis, (vantaux).

The tower has two well furnished floors for the garrison with a fireplace and cupboards.

La tour possède deux étages bien aménagés pour le stationnement de la garnison avec une cheminée et des corps de placard. La plate-forme couronnant la tour permettait de recevoir un engin de guerre à longue portée.

La porte d’Aude


On the west side, the Aude gate faces the river of the same name. It is situated near the comtal castle. The gate extends from the Aude barbacan partially destroyed in 1816 to built the Saint Gimer church. Only the access ramp surrounded by crenelated walls remains. The defensive system of the gate was complex. High arcades hide fake doors going nowhere to trick the ennemy. . Numerous twisting passageways on several levels constitute a maze within which assaillants would find themselves trapped and possible to attack from all sides. The Aude gate combines sophisticated passive and active defensive mechanisms.

A ramp originating from the destroyed barbacan gave access to the gate. It zigzags up the steep western slope en goes through a first then a second door. . Access is denied out front between the inner and outer walls. The inner wall is at this place elevated and strengthened with buttresses built in the XIIIth century. The gate proper is of Visigoth origin alternating bricks in a curve. A massive gatehouse lies above the entrance, not of feodal origin but added by Viollet-le-Duc during restoration. The gate, of a typically medieval aspect has been used as a setting for several films such as Les Visiteurs, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves or Le Corniaud.

La porte du Bourg ou de Rodez
Au nord, la porte du Bourg ou de Rodez donnait sur l'ancien bourg Saint-Vincent. Elle est directement creusée dans l'enceinte et était défendue par la barbacane Notre-Dame et la tour Mourétis.

La porte, assez modeste, est percée dans les remparts entre deux tours. Elle possède très peu de défenses. À l'époque des Wisigoths, la porte était protégée par une sorte d'avant-corps dont une muraille se prolongeait vers le bourg Saint-Vincent. Cet édifice a été remplacé par la suite par une barbacane sur l'enceinte extérieure, la barbacane Notre-Dame.

Le château comtal
Le château comtal est adossé à l'enceinte intérieure ouest à l'endroit où la pente est la plus raide. Il possède un plan en forme de parallélogramme allongé du nord au sud et est percé de deux issues à l'ouest du côté de la porte de l'Aude et à l'est du côté intérieur de la Cité. Il a été construit en deux temps.

Sa construction est lancée par Bernard Aton IV Trencavel durant l'époque romane aux alentours de 1130 pour remplacer un château primitif probablement situé à l'emplacement de la porte Narbonnaise. Le château est constitué de deux corps de bâtiment en L dominés par une tour de guet, la tour Pinte. Au nord se trouve une chapelle castrale dédiée à Marie dont il reste aujourd'hui que l'abside. Seule une palissade séparait le château du reste de la Cité.

Durant l'époque royale, entre 1228 et 1239, le château est complètement remanié devenant une forteresse à l'intérieur de la Cité. Une barbacane comportant un chemin de ronde et un parapet crénelé barre l'entrée du château juste avant le fossé qui l'entoure complètement jusqu'à l'enceinte intérieure. La porte d'entrée du château encadrée par deux tours est constituée d'un mâchicoulis, d'une herse et de vantaux. Le pont d'entrée est composé d'une partie en pont dormant, suivi d'une partie comportant un pont basculant et un pont-levis actionné par des contrepoids près de la herse de la porte d'entrée. Les murailles remplacent la palissade originelle et entourent complètement les bâtiments. Un système de hourds reposait sur l'enceinte telle que l'a reconstitué Viollet-le-Duc.

Le château et son enceinte comportent 9 tours dont deux sont d'époque wisigothe : la tour de la chapelle et la tour Pinte. La tour Pinte est une tour de guet carrée, la plus haute de la Cité. Toutes les autres tours ont des dispositions intérieures et extérieures identiques, car construites en même temps aux XIIe siècle. Ces tours sont constituées de trois étages et d'un rez-de-chaussée. Le rez-de-chaussée et le premier étage comportent un plafond voûté tandis que les étages supérieurs sont dotés de simples planchers. La communication entre les étages se fait par le biais des trous servant de porte-voix dans les voûtes et les planchers. Des hourds reconstitués par Viollet-le-Duc ornaient vraisemblablement l'enceinte et les tours comme le montre la reconstitution actuelle.

L'accès du château mène à une cour rectangulaire entourée de bâtiments remaniés de nombreuses fois entre le XIIe et le XVIIIe siècle. Les murs nord et est de la cour sont flanqués de simples portiques tandis qu'au sud et à l'est se trouvent deux bâtiments. Celui du sud contient les cuisines et permet d'accéder à une seconde cour. Elle contenait un bâtiment aujourd'hui détruit mais ou sont encore visibles les emplacements des poutres du plancher du premier étage ainsi que plusieurs fenêtres. C'est aussi dans cette cour que se trouve la tour Pinte.

The Saint Nazaire basilica


The Saint-Nazaire basilica, built in sandstone (casing), is a romanesque church, its oldest sections built during the XIth century. Originally, a Carolingian cathedral stood on its location but only a few vestiges remain.

Built just before the apex of romanesque art, hence a simple church, it was blessed and consecrated a cathedral by pope Urban II in 1096 under the impulse of the Trencavel, who undertake a project of a new larger structure,. Of that strcutre only remain the first two pillars of the nave and crypt, the damaged state of it suggest it was an older construction. In the XIIth century, the current nave, with six aisles, is built. It was left intact during gothic era as the church was expanded, though its chevet was destroyed. The romanesque great door was rebuilt during the XIXth century during the restoration of Viollet-le-Duc.

The basilica is expanded between 1269 and 1330 in the gothic style imported by the new masters of the region, with a slender transept and choir, sculptures and stained glass windows amongst the most beautiful in southern France. A master builder prelate, Pierre de Rochefort, financed the most of the construction of the decoration and completion of the vault. His armorial bearing are visible in the choir, apse and the south arm of the transept and the north chapel holds a monument commemorative of his death. Another personage, Pierre Rodier, archbishop of Carcassonne, has his armorial bearings in the south east chapel.

Restoration by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc largly transformed the exterior of the basilica, but the interior is the most remarkable. The two styles, gothic and romanesque, are mixed on the windows, sculptures and all the decoratino of the church. The facades hold many windows of the XIIIth and XIVth centuries, depicting scenes of the life of the Christ and his disciples. In 1901, the church is deprived of its rank of cathedral of Carcassonne for the Saint Michel church, situated in the fortified town outside the city. That transfert occurs as the city is abandonned by its inhabitants for the low city. It becomes a basilica in 1898, a status granted by pope Leon III.

A community of canons lived in the proximity of the cathedral with a chapter house and dormitories on the east side, refectory and kitchens on the south side, and cellars and stables on the west side. However, the group of buildings was demolished in 1792. A cloister also stood on the south side of the structure. Nowadays, an open air theater built in 1908, stands on its location. .

Life in the medieval city
Life in the medieval city has been studied by many historians. During the feodal period, the Trencavel House is rich thanks to its dominions and various rights, and the feodal lords and their court live in relative opulence. The comptal castle is decorated with taste and the site draw numerious troubadours. Life in the city is rythmed by fairs and markets. In 1158, Roger de Béziers grants authorisation two annual fairs during which the protection of merchants and customers is guaranted by the vicomte. A local currency attests of the vitality and affluence of the city. Commerce is substantial and many people depend on it. Food is abundant and varied: salted pork, bread, northern pike, cabbage, turnip, broad beans etc.

During the royal period, the city is not as active. Garrisons hold a predominant role. The king establishes an institution of (sergents at arms), soldiers who have for objective to guard the city. They are commanded by a constable who determines watch rotation and the various watches of the sergeants. The number of men, originally 220, falls to 110 during the XIVth century. Those « sergenteries » become hereditary in 1336. A 1748 text describes with precision the ceremonial setup of the patrols and watches. It also describes the advantages and drawbacks of that function. The soldiers were remunerated by a perpetual pay, giving the garrison its name :morte-payes ("dead wages"). The city was also well furnished in defensive and war weapons. An inventory from 1298 describes projectile weapons such as espringales, balistas, and mangonneaux, siege material such as beams, (des hourds démontés) and everything needed for sapping work, transport materiel such as chariots, building materials with numerous spare parts, and sustenance material, most notably to stock water, important in a siege. It was thus used as a stockpile to provide to the various battles that occured in the region.

Lorsque la ville basse s'est développée au détriment de la ville haute, les conditions de vie dans la Cité changèrent énormément. Au XIXe siècle après l'abandon de la Cité par les militaires, la Cité enfermée dans sa double enceinte, devient un quartier abandonné où se concentre la misère. Seuls les tisserands pauvres vivent dans les lices dans des masures adossées aux murailles dans des conditions d'hygiène dignes du Moyen-Age. À la fin du XIXe siècle les occupants des maisons qui occupaient les lices sont progressivement expropriés et les lices restaurées dans leur état original. Viollet-le-Duc voit cette action comme une opération de nettoyage. La population chassée déménage alors en partie dans la ville basse et en partie à l'intérieur des murs de la Cité.

De nos jours, à l'intérieur de la Cité, la vie quotidienne n'est pas toujours facile. Les ruelles sont étroites, difficiles d'accès et les habitations sont vétustes, mais l'authenticité des lieux attirent de nombreux visiteurs. La Cité possède plusieurs hôtels dont un hôtel de luxe, l'« hôtel de la Cité », une auberge de jeunesse, et de nombreux restaurants et boutiques de souvenirs.

The legend of Dame Carcas
The legend of Dame Carcas attempts to explain the origin of the name of the Cité of Carcassonne. The story claims the army of Charlemagne was besieging the Cité controlled by Sarracens. A princess lead the knights of the cité following the death of her husband, she was Princess Carcas. The siege lasted 5 years. At the beginning of the 6th year, there was a shortage of food and water. Dame Carcas wanted an inventory of the remaining food stocks. Villagers brought a pig and a bag of wheat. She then had the idea of feeding the pig with the wheat and throw it from the highest tower of the city to the foot of the outer wall.

Charlemagne and his men, thinking the Cité still filled with supplies to the point of wasting a pig feed with wheat, lifted the siege. Watching the army of Charlemange leaving the plain, Dame Carcas filled with the joy of the victory brought by her stratagem, decided to ring all the bells in the town. One of Charlemagne's men then exclaimed: "Carcas sonne!" (Carcas rings), hence the name of the Cité.

Un haut-lieu touristique
Dès le XIXe siècle, la Cité de Carcassonne attire de nombreux érudits. Ainsi, en 1905, 8,366 étrangers viennent visiter la Cité entre juillet et octobre. En 1913, 50,000 touristes sont recensés. La Cité de Carcassonne devient au fil des années un lieu touristique très fréquenté. Des boutiques et des commerces s'installent dans la Cité et de nombreuses cartes postales sont éditées.

Cet afflux touristique est un atout économique certain pour la ville de Carcassonne. Mais, cette fréquentation, dont le pic est estival, a également de nombreux impacts négatifs sur le paysage, les infrastructures, l'architecture et la vie de la commune. Pour améliorer l'accueil des touristes et pour préserver l'environnement et les infrastructures, la ville de Carcassonne et le ministère de l'écologie et du développement durable ont mis conjointement en place un programme d'actions appelé opération grand site. Cette opération vise à réhabiliter et à mettre en valeur la Cité et ses abords.

Aujourd'hui la communauté d'agglomération du Carcassonnais cherche à augmenter les revenus générés par les visiteurs de la Cité de Carcassonne. Le problème majeur est que le flux de touristes limite son séjour à la visite de la Cité ou il passe une durée moyenne de quatre heures. La ville basse ne bénéficie que très peu de l'attrait de la Cité car cette dernière est un but d'excursion et non un lieu de vacances. Les visiteurs privilégient les courts séjours de 1,5 jours essentiellement en hébergement hôtelier et fréquentent peu les résidences de tourisme et les campings locaux. Les visiteurs se répartissent entre vacanciers des stations balnéaires situées sur la côte, locaux pratiquant un tourisme de proximité et étrangers visitant la Cité dans le cadre d'un tour d'Europe. Cependant, la Cité reste sur le plan touristique un « produit d'appel » pour le reste de l'Aude, le Pays Cathare et le Carcassonnais.

Chaque année, la ville organise diverses animations au sein de la Cité :
 * Le festival de la Cité se déroule chaque été dans le théâtre Jean Deschamps au cœur de la Cité et permet de découvrir plusieurs pièces de théâtre, opéra ou concerts.
 * L'embrasement de la Cité se déroule tous les ans le 14 juillet et constitue un feu d'artifice unique en son genre attirant chaque année près de 700,000 spectateurs.
 * Le marathon de la Cité se déroule dans le cadre la Cité de Carcassonne et de ses alentours chaque début d'octobre.
 * Les Médiévales sont un spectacle de reconstitution médiévale qui se tient au mois d'août et comporte des animations de rues et des tournois de chevaliers dans les lices.

Seule la fréquentation touristique du château comtal et des remparts est aujourd'hui décomptée de façon statistique puisqu'il s'agit des seules visites payantes. Le classement de la Cité sur la liste du patrimoine mondial a permis d'augmenter le nombre de visiteurs depuis 10 ans. Le nombre de visiteurs a été en nette augmentation entre 1990 et 2000. Le nombre de visiteurs espagnols a beaucoup augmenté jusqu'à représenter 34% des visiteurs en haute saison 2006.

The medieval city of Carcassonne and art
Several feature films have been made in Carcassonne nearby the medieval city as it offers a near perfect medieval scenery. Hence, movies were made such as Le retour du croisé by Louis Feuillade in 1908, La merveilleuse vie de Jeanne d'Arc by Marco de Gastyne in 1929, Le miracle des loups by Raymond Bernard in 1924, La fiancée des ténèbres by Serge de Poligny in 1944, Le miracle des loups by André Hunebelle in 1961, Le Corniaud by Gérard Oury in 1965, Un lion en hiver by Anthony Harvey in 1968, La promise by Franc Roddam en 1985, Robin de bois, prince des voleurs by Kevin Reynolds en 1991, Les visiteurs by Jean-Marie Poiré in 1992 and Le destin de Youssef Chahine en 1997.

The fortified city in numbers

 * 2,500 years of history.
 * 52 towers within the defensive walls of the city ,
 * 3 kilometers of fortifications ,
 * 1,323 men necessary to defend the city according to Viollet-le-Duc,
 * 30 % only of the city was restored,
 * 58 years of restoration work,
 * 2 millions tourists per year, placing it amongst the most visited tourist sites in France outside Paris, of which 330,000 in 2001 for the central castle ,
 * 100 inhabitants in 2005.

Personnalités liées à la Cité

 * Jean-Pierre Cros-Mayrevieille à l'origine du sauvetage de la Cité au XIXe siècle
 * Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, grand restaurateur de la Cité de Carcassonne.
 * Joseph Poux (1873-1938), historien de la Cité, écrit en 1923 l'ouvrage La Cité de Carcassonne : précis historique, archéologique et descriptif qui rassemble tout ce qu'il faut savoir sur la ville. Une stèle, dans le jardin avant l'entrée de la Cité, lui rend hommage.

Bibliographie

 * , inédité
 * Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, La Cité de Carcassonne, 1888, Lire sur Wikisource
 * , inédité
 * Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, La Cité de Carcassonne, 1888, Lire sur Wikisource
 * Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, La Cité de Carcassonne, 1888, Lire sur Wikisource
 * Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, La Cité de Carcassonne, 1888, Lire sur Wikisource

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