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Carcassonne, France

From series “The Last City-Fortresses Survived to This Day”
The old French town Carcassonne was surrounded by two forts at ones. The first was built as early as in the 5th century, another after 8 centuries. Île de la Cité is the main historic district because the Medieval fortress was placed there. The first fort was built there more than 2 500 years ago. For hundreds of years it has been extended and rebuilt.

Carcassonne, France In the middle of the 19th century the architectural ensemble was half-ruined. Then it was decided to begin the rebuilt works. Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc – the famous architect – guided this restoration. In 1903, when the reconstruction was finished, the architecture complex was placed under the Ministry of Culture of France. The building was saved by a miracle during the Second World War. At that time there had placed German weapon warehouse.

In 1961 in the fortress has opened a museum. There you can see an outstanding collection of ancient items. The fortress has been being in the list of the world heritage UNESCO since 1997. The fortress is placed in a picturesque rocky place. In pre-mountain places you will also see historical monuments. One of them is the awesome Saint Michael Cathedral. It is a world known landmark thanks to its magnificent inner decoration. There you can see a lot of various ancient art items and sculptures. The most beautiful statue of Gods’ Mother is also placed there. The new district will meet travellers with a great number of magical national restaurants, shops and entertainment venues. To the beginning - York

Carcassonne - interactive map

Useful staff nearby

ATM bankomat: 'CIC' located in 0.04 km ( check the route on the map).
Car rental office: 'Cargo' is located in 0.29 km ( on the map).
Fuel station: 'Station Service AVIA' in 0.57 km
Supermarket: 'La Ferme' in 0.07 km
Parking: 'Parking Gambetta' in 0.32 km
Apotheek: 'Luce Marie-Louise' in 0.04 km
Police station: 'Hôtel de Police' in 0.24 km
Cafe/restaurant: 'L'Endroit' in 0.03 km
Railway station: 'Gare de Carcassonne' in 0.56 km

Nearest airports:
 »  Salvaza Airport CCF - in 3 km
 »  Castres-Mazamet Airport DCM - in 38 km
 »  Rivesaltes Airport PGF - in 67 km
 »  Le Sequestre Airport LBI - in 80 km
 »  Beziers Cap d'Agde Airport BZR - in 82 km
 Cities nearby

Best hotels near Carcassonne

Villa Marcou

Located in 0 km from Carcassonne
Route on the map:
Rooms: 1
The villa is made up of 2 bedrooms, a living room with sofa, a flat-screen TV and DVD player. There is a private bathroom, a washing machine and … More: photo, rates and booking
Villa de la Cité

Located in 1 km from Carcassonne
Route on the map:
Rooms: 1
Villa de la Cité is made up of 5 bedrooms and a spacious living room with bay windows. It has 2 private bathrooms with a bath and a shower and 2 … More: photo, rates and booking
Villa Rébenty

Located in 2 km from Carcassonne
Route on the map:
Rooms: 1
The villa is made of 4 bedrooms, a living room with TV and DVD player and a large kitchen equipped with microwave, stove and oven. There is a … More: photo, rates and booking
Les Gîtes de Sainte Croix

Located in 3 km from Carcassonne
Route on the map:
Rooms: 3
With a private entrance, this cottage includes a fully equipped kitchenette with a microwave, dishwasher and electric kettle. During warmer month you … More: photo, rates and booking

Nearest unique sightseeing spots to visit

Fortified city of Carcassonne
1 km - Fortified city of Carcassonne
The medieval city of Carcassonne is also sure to impress those who like to walk through interesting historical places. The city is located on the banks of the River Aude. The very first fortification was built in this place in the Gallo-Roman period. The territory of …
Le Canal du Midi
38 km - Le Canal du Midi
The history of the du Midi French Canal takes its origin in 1666. Many travellers know it as Languedoc or the South Canal. The canal was constructed in 15 years and has a length of about 240000 metres. It is the oldest functioning canal in Europe. The first vessels …
Episcopal city of Albi
82 km - Episcopal city of Albi
The charming city of Albi is located in the southern part of France. It is a real storehouse of historical attractions. The entire historical part of the city is a World Heritage Site. The beautiful Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile is located in the heart of the Old Town. It …
Bruniquel Cave
108 km - Bruniquel Cave
French Bruniquel Cave also attracts a lot of researchers. There were found two stone circles which were built more than 170 000 years ago. The researchers have no doubts that these mysterious circles were made by people. The main material was the parts of stalactites …
Castellfullit de la Roca
111 km - Castellfullit de la Roca
The amazing town of Castellfollit de la Roca is located in Catalonia. It is considered one of the most beautiful towns in the region. This miniature city is located on a basalt cliff. Its length is about 1,000 meters. The first village was formed in its place in the …
Teatro-Museo Dali
116 km - Teatro-Museo Dali
At first glance at the House Museum of Salvador Dali, one can say that the house of the outstanding surrealist painter should look exactly like this. The unique house is located in Figeras and forms a uniform architectural group with reconstructed walls surrounding the …

Top destination around Carcassonne - Carcassonne

During a visit to the museum, you can see an ancient electric chair, guillotine, chastity belt, garrotte (a device used to strangle a victim), and a gantry. The exhibition of this museum usually impresses visitors because it is hard to imagine that these devices were used to torture people continuously. Some installations like a press machine crushing a human skull and scold's bridles look simply scary. It is better not to bring children to this museum. They are better to explore the Haunted House while their parents are visiting the Inquisition Museum. The two venues are located close to each other.

Le Pont-Vieux is a true pride of Carcassonne. The old bridge makes it possible to get to the walls of the fortress over the Aude River. The bridge was built in the 14th century. It connected the two parts of the city for a long time. During a walk here, visitors can admire a gorgeous panorama of Carcassonne and the river. The sound of the river is calming and relaxing. The surrounding nature is attractive and picture-perfect.
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