Carcassonne Castle
Photographer: Jim Bucko
Summary Author: Jim Bucko
Carcassonne is the largest, most complete, well preserved, and certainly one of the most picturesque castles in the world. This fortress is used in many films and fairy tales. The strategic importance of this hilltop citadel, between trade routes linking the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, was recognized by the Ancient Romans. After it was occupied and enlarged by the Romans, it was taken over by the Visigoths and then the Franks. Later, the Cathars took it in the late 1100s. However, the Franks and Papacy together worked to get it back between 1206-1216. This is when much of the work on the castle walls and towers was completed. Today, inside the walls are found restaurants, pubs, a souvenir shops, a theatre for concerts and even a Best Western Hotel. Carcassonne became a World Heritage Site in 1997.
Carcassonne France Coordinates: 43.209999, 2.350000
Related Links:
Waxing Crescent Moon and Castle Gleiberg
Castle Coeffin