Cité

The Cité of Carcassonne in southern France is renowned for having some of Europe's most impressive medieval fortifications. Originally settled by Iberians and later the Gallo-Romans, its inner rampart was built in 485 CE by the Visigoths. Over centuries, it was besieged and captured by various groups, including Muslims and Pippin III.

The Viscounts of Carcassonne and Béziers constructed the Basilique Saint-Nazaire and incorporated the Château Comtal into the Visigothic rampart. Following the Albigensian Wars, the French crown confiscated the viscounts' possessions, leading to significant construction on the cathedral and outer walls during the reigns of Louis IX and Philip III. Carcassonne ceased to be a frontier fortress after Roussillon was annexed to France in 1659 and underwent extensive reconstruction in the 19th century. The Cité, with its narrow streets, is now a major tourist attraction.