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The medieval city of
CARCASSONNE is the biggest tourist attraction of the Languedoc. At the foot of
that hill and at the other side of the Aude lays the “new” Carcassonne, also
medieval bit relatively less interesting and thereby ignored by the majority of
the tourists.
Begin 6th century, a prehistoric tribe settled down right next to the spot where
today the cite lays. Probably it was easier to defend.
The Roman CARCASSO was important because it was located on the Aquitaine
commercial route to Italy (wine was already a commercial item). After the
departure of the Romans the city fell to West Goths, Arabs and Francs. Finally
it became the property of the sirs of Trencavel, also owing Nimes, Beziers and
Albi. They repaired and fortified the old Roman walls, built a cathedral and a
castle and brought a great development to the city.
Like the whole French nobility, the Trencavels were quite tolerant about the
sect of the Cathars, appearing in the 12th century. This became fatal. On August
1, 1209 the army of the crusaders appeared in front of Carcassonne. After 15
days, count Trencavel surrendered with his city. He was imprisoned and died a
few months later in very curious and suspicious circumstances. The county of
Carcassonne became property of the leader of the crusaders, Simon de Montfort,
who turned out to be a bloodthirsty butcher who killed very easily. His son gave
it later to the crown of France.
In 1240 the son of count Raymond tried to reconquer the city and the inhabitants
chose his side. But the count died as unlucky as his father and the citizens had
to flee. Later they could return but they had to settle down at the other side
of the Aude. That’s how the low city was born in 1260. The cite became a border
fortress for the kings of France. In 1356, during the 100-years war, the lower
city was destroyed by the armies of the Black Prince, the former Prince of
Wales. After his departure the new city was rebuilt with a surrounding wall.
After the Treat of the Pyrenees, the French-Spanish border stretched far more to
the south—where it is now, and the title of border fortress was history for
Carcassonne. In the two following centuries the cite degraded to a sort of slum
and the walls of the lower city destroyed. The new city had a good time then
because a blooming textile industry.
In the 19th century the idea came up to demolish the cite. Luckily the inspector
for monuments, writer Prosper Mérimée (wrote the book that was used for Carmen
of Bizet), realized the value of Carcassonne and could prevent demolition.
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