Sightseeing in Montpellier - what to see. Complete travel guide

First mentions of the city are dated back to the 10th century, when Montpellier belonged to famous French counts. The city is conveniently located between two high hills, and some of its streets are located in mountainous areas. Because the city is situated on the border between Spain and Italy, it has always been an important center of trade.

The ancient town was very small; it was surrounded by a powerful protective wall, and among more of less large buildings were only a chapel and a castle. The territory of Montpellier expanded steadily, so today tourists can see two towers, which have remained from the former fortifications. The towers are called la Tour des Pn and la Tour de la Babot. An old church called Notre-Dame-des-Tables has also managed to survive. In ancient times it was quite a remarkable place for pilgrims, the number of which increased every year. That was the reason for the expansion of the city. In order to accommodate all newcomers in this place were built first hostels, hotels, and taverns.

In 1220 the School of Medicine was opened in the city by order of Cardinal Conrad, and a couple of years later Montpellier became the property of Aragonese kings. During this period starts the real prosperity and economic growth of this region as the citizens received many freedoms and opportunities. Trading also began developing seriously, becoming the main source of income for the city treasury. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Today the city is a calm and quiet place; tourists appear here only in summer. Rich in parks and alleys, the streets of Montpellier are ideal for walking. Here you can find excellent restaurants, cafes and shops. The newest area of the city is called the place de la Comde, here you can attend best restaurants and stores, as well as look at architectural sites.

The starting point of many sightseeing tours in Montpellier is Place de la Comédie (Comedy Square), which is located near the main railway station. The main decoration of the square is a magnificent fountain with its "Three Graces" sculptural composition, and around it, there are beautiful historical buildings. Here are the Opera Comédie and several government buildings; many historic buildings today house shops and restaurants.

For fans of painting, it would be interesting to visit the Fabre Museum located near the square. Within its walls is a unique collection of European paintings, separate museum halls are dedicated to famous Flemish and Dutch artists. The age of some of the exhibits presented in the museum exceeds 500 years, these paintings were created back in the 14-15 centuries.

An important historical symbol for the city is Saint-Clément Aqueduct, which is located in a beautiful large park. This aqueduct built in the 17th century supplied the city with water for many years. Some areas of the park allow visitors to appreciate this grandiose building in all its glory, here you can also admire beautiful sculptures and landscape decorations.

The Museum of Old Montpellier, which is also housed in an incredibly beautiful historic building, introduces tourists to the history of the city. In this museum, you can see ancient works of art, antique furniture collections, and splendid national costumes as well as household items. The museum is not characterized by a large scale, so the tour doesn't seem tedious.

Those visiting Montpellier in the warm season should definitely take a stroll through the historic botanical garden of Jardin des plantes. Founded in 1593, the Botanical Garden is open to the public only in the summer. Here you can see many rare plants and flowers brought from other corners of the world.

An excellent place for walking is the historic neighborhood of Antigone. It is known for its spectacular postmodern-style buildings characterized by sumptuous facade decorations. In addition to picturesque buildings, here you can see several charming squares, as well as forged lights, one of the neighborhood's main decorations. While walking here you can make a lot of memorable photos.