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Encyclopedia > Carcassonne

Coordinates: 43°12′47″N 2°21′07″E / 43.21306, 2.352028 Carcassone may refer to: Carcassonne, the medieval fortified city in France Carcassonne the boardgame William Faulkners 1931 story of Carcassonne This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Commune of Carcassonne Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (903x516, 150 KB) Carcassonne, France, view of the medieval town, vineyards. ...

Location
Administration
Country France
Region Languedoc-Roussillon
Department Aude
Arrondissement Carcassonne
Intercommunality Carcassonne
Mayor Gérard Larrat
(2001–2008)
Statistics
Elevation 81 m–250 m
(avg. 111 m)
Land area¹ 65.08 km²
Population²
(1999)
43,950
 - Density 675/km² (1999)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code 11069/ 11000
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.
France

Carcassonne (Occitan: Carcassona) is a fortified French town in the Aude département, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc. It is separated into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. The folk etymology—involving a châtelaine named Carcas, a ruse ending a siege and the joyous ringing of bells ("Carcas sona")—though memorialized in a neo-Gothic sculpture of Mme Carcas on a column near the Narbonne Gate—is of modern invention. The fortress, which was thoroughly restored in 1853 by the theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997. Image File history File links Paris_plan_pointer_b_jms. ... This list of countries, arranged alphabetically, gives an overview of countries of the world. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... (Region flag) (Region logo) Location Administration Capital Regional President Departments Aude Gard Hérault Lozère Pyrénées-Orientales Arrondissements 14 Cantons 186 Communes 1,545 Statistics Land area1 27,376 km² Population (Ranked 10th)  - January 1, 2006 est. ... Departments (French: IPA: ) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, roughly analogous to English counties. ... Aude (Occitan: Aude) is a department in south-central France named after the Aude River. ... The 100 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts. ... The arrondissement of Carcassonne is an arrondissement of France, located in the Aude département, of the Languedoc-Roussillon région. ... Map of the 36,568 communes of metropolitan France. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... Elevation histogram of the surface of the Earth – approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered with water. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... INSEE is the French abbreviation for the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (French: Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques). ... Postal codes were introduced in France in 1972, when La Poste introduced automated sorting. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... For other meanings, see Estuary (disambiguation) Río de la Plata estuary An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. ... This page lists English translations of several Latin phrases and abbreviations, such as and . ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Occitan (IPA AmE: ), known also as Lenga dòc or Langue doc (native name: occitan [1], lenga dòc [2]; native nickname: la lenga nòstra [3] i. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Separation barrier. ... Aude (Occitan: Aude) is a department in south-central France named after the Aude River. ... The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, roughly analogous to English counties. ... The term prefecture (from the Latin Praefectura) indicates the office, seat, territorial circonscription of a Prefect. ... The Kingdom of France was organised into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département system superseded provinces. ... For the language called Langue doc, see Occitan language. ... Etymologies redirects here. ... Châtelain (Med. ... A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition, often accompanied by an assault. ... Victoria Tower at the Palace of Westminster, London: Gothic details provided by A.W.N. Pugin San Sebastian Church in Manila, Philippines made entirely of steel. ... Fortifications (Latin fortis, strong, and facere, to make) are military constructions designed for defensive warfare. ... Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (January 27, 1814 – September 17, 1879) was a French architect and theorist, famous for his restorations of medieval buildings. ... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... Elabana Falls is in Lamington National Park, part of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves World Heritage site in Queensland, Australia. ...

Contents

Geography

History

Cathars being expelled from Carcassonne in 1209
Cathars being expelled from Carcassonne in 1209
Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne*
UNESCO World Heritage Site

Fortified wall of Carcassonne, with its cleared dry moat
State Party Flag of France France
Type Cultural
Criteria ii, iv
Reference 345
Region Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription 1997  (21st Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
† Region as classified by UNESCO.

First signs of settlement in the region have been dated to about 3500 BC, but the hill site of Carsac—a Celtic place-name that has been retained at other sites in the south—became an important trading place in the 6th century BC. The Volcae Tectosages fortified the oppidum. The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Cathars being expelled from Carcassonne in 1209. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... As of 2006, there are a total of 830 World Heritage Sites located in 138 State Parties. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... This is a list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... This article is about the European people. ... Toponymy is the taxonomic study of toponyms (place-names), their origins and their meanings. ... The Volcae Tectosages were one branch of the Gallic nation of the Volcae, the other branch being the Volcae Arecomici. ... Oppidum (plural oppida) is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of ancient Rome. ...


Carcassonne became strategically identified when Romans fortified the hilltop around 100 BC and eventually made it the colonia of Julia Carsaco, later Carcasum (the process of swapping consonant is a metathesis). The main part of the lower courses of the northern ramparts dates from Gallo-Roman times. For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ... A Roman colonia (plural coloniae) was originally a Roman outpost established in conquered territory to secure it. ... Metathesis is a sound change that alters the order of phonemes in a word. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Separation barrier. ... Gallo-Roman figures, found in Ingelheim. ...


In 462 the Romans officially ceded Septimania to the Visigothic king Theodoric II who had held Carcassonne since 453; he built more fortifications at Carcassonne, which was a frontier post on the northern marches: traces of them still stand. Theodoric is thought to have begun the predecessor of the basilica that is now dedicated to Saint Nazaire. In 508 the Visigoths successfully foiled attacks of the Frankish king Clovis. Saracens from Barcelona took Carcassonne in 725, but King Pippin the Younger drove them away in 759. Septimania was the western region of the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis that passed under the control of the Visigothic kingdom in 462, when Septimania was ceded to Theodoric II, king of the Visigoths. ... A votive crown belonging to Reccesuinth (653–672) The Visigoths (Latin: ) were one of two main branches of the Goths, an East Germanic tribe, the Ostrogoths being the other. ... Theodoric II murdered his older brother Thorismund to become king of the Visigoths in 453 CE. Edward Gibbon writes that he justified this atrocious deed by the design which his predecessor had formed of violating his alliance with the empire. ... For the fortification of food, see Food fortification. ... Look up basilica in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Imperial Abbey of Lorsch (Laureshamense Monasterium, called also Laurissa and Lauresham) in the German state of Hesse about 10 mi (6 km) east of Worms, was one of the most renowned monasteries of the Carolingian empire. ... Clovis may refer to the following: The personal name of Germanic origin that primarily saw use in Europe before the year 1000 AD. Several locales and persons of historical importance have borne this name. ... For the rugby club Saracens see Saracens (rugby club) The term Saracen comes from Greek sarakenoi. ... Location Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Barcelona (Catalan) Spanish name Barcelona Nickname Ciutat Comtal (City of Counts) Postal code 08001–08080 Area code 34 (Spain) + 93 (Barcelona) Website http://www. ... Pippin the Younger Pippin the Younger or Pepin[1] (714 – September 24, 768), often known under the mistranslation Pippin the Short or the ordinal Pippin III, was the king of the Franks from 751 to 768 and is best known for being the father of Charlemagne, or Charles the Great. ...


In 760, Pippin took most of the south of France, although he was unable to penetrate the impregnable fortress of Carcassonne.


In 1067 Carcassonne became the property of Raimond Bernard Trencavel, viscount of Albi and Nîmes, through his marriage with Ermengard, sister of the last count of Carcassonne. In the following centuries the Trencavel family allied in succession either with the counts of Barcelona or of Toulouse. They built the Château Comtal and the Basilica of Saint-Nazaire. In 1096 Pope Urban II blessed the foundation stones of the new cathedral, a Catholic bastion against the Cathar heretics. A viscount is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl (in Britain) or a count (his continental equivalent). ... Albi is a town and commune in southern France. ... Nîmes (Provençal Occitan: Nimes in both classical and Mistralian norms) is a city and commune of southern France. ... The Trencavel were an important noble family in Languedoc (in the southwest of modern-day France) during the 10th through 13th centuries. ... Look up basilica in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Pope Urban II (1042 – July 29, 1099), born Otho of Lagery (alternatively: Otto or Odo), was a Pope from 1088 to July 29, 1099. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Catharism. ...


Carcassonne became famous in its role in the Albigensian Crusades, when the city was a stronghold of occitan cathars. In August 1209 the crusading army of Simon de Montfort forced its citizens to surrender. After capturing Raymond-Roger de Trencavel and imprisoning and allowing him to die, Montfort made himself the new viscount. He added to the fortifications. Carcassonne became a border citadel between France and the kingdom of Aragon (Spain). The Albigensian Crusade or Cathar Crusade (1209 - 1229) was a 20-year military campaign initiated by the Roman Catholic Church to eliminate the heresy of the Cathars of Languedoc. ... Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester, also Simon IV de Montfort (1160 – June 25, 1218) was a French nobleman who took part in the Fourth Crusade (1202 - 1204) and was a prominent leader of the Albigensian Crusade. ... Raymond-Roger Trencavel (1185 - November 10, 1209) was a member of the noble Trencavel family. ... Anthem: Himno de Aragón Capital Zaragoza Official languages Spanish Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 4th  47,719 km²  9. ...


In 1240 Trencavel's son tried to reconquer his old domain but in vain. The city submitted to the rule of kingdom of France in 1247, and King Louis IX founded the new part of the town across the river. He and his successor Philip III built the outer ramparts. Contemporary opinion still considered the fortress impregnable. During the Hundred Years' War, Edward the Black Prince failed to take the city in 1355, although his troops destroyed the Lower Town. Louis IX (25 April 1215 – 25 August 1270), commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 to his death. ... Philip III the Bold (French: Philippe III le Hardi) (30 April 1245 – 5 October 1285) reigned as King of France from 1270 to 1285. ... Belligerents House of Valois Castile Scotland Genoa Majorca Bohemia Crown of Aragon Brittany House of Plantagenet Burgundy Brittany Portugal Navarre Flanders Hainaut Aquitaine Luxembourg Holy Roman Empire The Hundred Years War (French: Guerre de Cent Ans) was a prolonged conflict between two royal houses for the French throne, vacant with... Edward the Black Prince - illustration from Cassells History of England circa 1902 Effigy on the Black Princes tomb in Canterbury Cathedral Edward, Prince of Wales, known as the Black Prince (June 15, 1330 - June 8, 1376) was the eldest son of King Edward III of England. ...


In 1659, the Treaty of Pyrenees transferred the border province of Roussillon to France, and Carcassonne's military significance was reduced. Fortifications were abandoned, and the city became mainly an economic center that concentrated on the woollen textile industry, for which a 1723 source quoted by Fernand Braudel found it “the manufacturing center of Languedoc” [1]. The Treaty of the Pyrenees was signed in 1659 to end the war between France and Spain that had begun in 1635 during the Thirty Years War. ... Coat of arms of Roussillon - see also senyera Flag of Roussillon Mount Canigó (Canigou) (2785m), a Catalan landmark Roussillon (French: Roussillon, pronounced ; Catalan: Rosselló, pronounced ) is one of the historical counties of the former Principality of Catalonia, corresponding roughly to the present-day southern French département of Pyrén... For other uses, see Wool (disambiguation). ... Fernand Braudel (August 24, 1902–November 27, 1985) was a French historian. ...


Main sights

The fortified city

Carcassonne was struck from the roster of official fortifications under Napoleon and the Restoration, and the fortified cité of Carcassonne fell into such disrepair that the French government decided that it should be demolished. A decree to that effect that was made official in 1849 caused an uproar. The antiquary and mayor of Carcassonne, Jean-Pierre Cros-Mayrevieille, and the writer Prosper Mérimée, the first inspector of ancient monuments, led a campaign to preserve the fortress as a historical monument. Later in the year the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, already at work restoring the Basilica of Saint-Nazaire, was commissioned to renovate the place. Prosper Mérimée Prosper Mérimée (September 28, 1803–September 23, 1870) was a French dramatist, historian, archaeologist, and short story writer. ... Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (January 27, 1814 – September 17, 1879) was a French architect and theorist, famous for his restorations of medieval buildings. ...


In 1853, works began with the west and southwest walling, followed by the towers of the porte Narbonnaise and the principal entrance to the cité. The fortifications were consolidated here and there but the chief attention was paid to restoring the roofing of the towers and the ramparts, where Viollet-le-Duc ordered the destruction of structures that had encroached against the walls, some of them of considerable age. Viollet-le-Duc left copious notes and drawings at his death in 1879, when his pupil Paul Boeswillwald, and later the architect Nodet continued the rehabilitation of Carcassonne.

The restoration was strongly criticized during Viollet-le-Duc's lifetime. Fresh from work in the north of France, he made the error of using slates and restoring the roofs as pointed cones, where local practice was traditionally of tile roofing and low slopes, in a snow-free environment. Yet, overall, Viollet-le-Duc's achievement at Carcassonne is agreed to be a work of genius, though not of strictest authenticity.


Fortifications consists of a double ring of ramparts and 53 towers.


Other

Another bridge, Pont Marengo, crosses the Canal du Midi and provides access to the railway station. Lac de la Cavayère has been created as a recreational lake and is about five minutes from the city centre.
The Pont Marengo (Marengo bridge) crosses the Canal du Midi and links Carcassonne to the local railway station. ... Lac de la Cavayère is an artificial lake in the Languedoc-Roussillon région of France, close to the mediaeval town of Carcassonne. ...

The fortified city of Carcassonne and the Pont Vieux crossing the Aude river

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (7415x1024, 2166 KB) Summary Fortified city of Carcassonne and the Pont Vieux crossing the Aude river. ... Aude (Occitan: Aude) is a department in south-central France named after the Aude River. ...

Economy

The newer part (Ville Basse) of the city on the other side of the Aude river (which dates back from the Middle Ages, created after the crusade) manufactures shoes, rubber and textiles. It is also the center of a major AOC wine-growing region. A major part of its income, however, comes from the tourism connected to the fortifications (Cité) and from boat cruising on the Canal du Midi. Carcassonne receives about three million visitors annually. In the late 1990s Carcassonne airport started taking budget flights to and from European airports and in 2006 had regular flight connections with Dublin, Shannon, Stansted, Liverpool, East Midlands and Charleroi. The Aude River (Latin Atax) is a river of southwestern France. ... For other uses, see Shoe (disambiguation). ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Textile (disambiguation). ... Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC), which translates as term of controlled origin is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National des Appellations dOrigine (INAO). ... For other uses, see Wine (disambiguation). ... The Canal du Midi or Canal des Deux Mers (Occitan: Canal de las Doas Mars / Canal del Miègjorn) is a 240 km long canal in the south (le Midi) of France. ... Carcassonne Salvaza Airport is the main airport serving the town of Carcassonne and the south of Languedoc. ... For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). ... Shannon International Airport (IATA: SNN, ICAO: EINN), or Aerfort na Sionna in Irish is one of Irelands primary three airports (along with Dublin Airport and Cork Airport). ... The lawn in front of Stansted Airport used to attract large numbers of people waiting for their flight during the summer. ... Liverpool John Lennon Airport (IATA: LPL, ICAO: EGGP) is an airport serving the English city of Liverpool. ... Nottingham East Midlands Airport (IATA: EMA, ICAO: EGNX) is an airport in the East Midlands of England, near Castle Donington in Leicestershire. ... Charleroi Brussels South, also called Brussels South Airport or Brussels South Charleroi Airport (BSCA), is located near Charleroi, 46 km from central Brussels, Belgium. ...


Miscellaneous

Historically, the language spoken in Carcassonne and throughout Languedoc-Rousillon was not French, but actually the quite different Occitan. Occitan (IPA AmE: ), known also as Lenga dòc or Langue doc (native name: occitan [1], lenga dòc [2]; native nickname: la lenga nòstra [3] i. ...


On 6 March 2000, France issued a stamp commemorating the fortress of Carcassonne. is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...


Hauntings

Carcassonne itself has its fair share of supposed hauntings. The Tower of Justice is said to be the most haunted part of the fortified town. A woman in a blood stained dress has been seen floating across the floor and the sounds of chanting has been reported. A portly gentleman has been seen standing and staring at visitors and a poltergeist has been experienced, lifting and throwing candle sticks.


Screams of pain and torture have been heard echoing from the outer walls.


The Pont Marengo Bridge is the scene of many ghost sightings. A woman in black stands and stares at the canal below, a small boy dressed in red walks along and vanishes and a man in green looks around before dropping something wrapped in a bundle into the water.


Sport

Carcassonne is home to the AS Carcassonne rugby league club. They play in the Elite One Championship. Puig Aubert is the most notable rugby league player to come from the Carcassonne club. AS Carcassonne are a French rugby league club from the town of Carcassonne. ... Rugby league football is a full-contact team sport played with a prolate spheroid-shaped ball by two teams of thirteen on a rectangular grass field. ... Puig Aubert (born March 24, 1925 in Andernach, Germany – died June 3, 1994 in Carcassonne, France), was debatably the greatest French rugby league player of all-time[1] Over a sixteen year professional career he would play for Carcassonne, Les Catalans, Celtic de Paris and Castelnaudary winning five French championships...


In popular culture

Labyrinth has been described as an archaeological mystery story set both in the Middle Ages and the present. It is a fictional novel written by Kate Mosse that divides into two main storylines that follow two protagonists, Alaïs (year 1209) and Alice (year 2005). ... Kate Mosse (born 26 October 1961) is an English author and broadcaster. ... Carcassonne is a tile-based German-style board game for two to five players, designed by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede and published in 2000 by Hans im Glück in German and Rio Grande Games in English. ... (For the board game on which the game is based, see Carcassonne (board game). ... Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was a 1991 film directed by Kevin Reynolds. ...

See also

  • Carcassonne Cathedral
  • Basilica of St. Nazaire and St. Celsus, Carcassonne

Notes

  1. ^ Fernand Braudel, The Wheels of Commerce 1982, vol. II of Civilization and Capitalism, p 334

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:


Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ...


  Results from FactBites:
 
Carcassonne - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (1380 words)
Carcassonne (Carcassona in Occitan) is a fortified French town, in the Aude département of which it is the préfecture, in the former province of Languedoc.
Carcassonne is at the crossing of two major traffic routes in use since Antiquity: the route leading from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean and that from the Massif Central to Spain, skirting the Pyrenees.
Carcassonne was the starting point for a stage in the 2004 Tour de France and an endpoint in the 2006 Tour de France.
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