Walking around the Cité in Carcassonne

No bike today, felt like visiting the Cité as it’s only 30mins away. On foot.

Saying it’s big would be an understatement

Sorry, I’m a bit of history geek at times.

Outer walls, inner walls, and a castle within said inner walls. All of that on top of a 260m tall hill. People actually live in there, as cool as it sounds I’m not sure I would want that.

The more astute viewers will notice the different architectures, especially in roofing.

People started living on the hill as early as 300BC. The actual castle and walls began early in the XIth century, then abandoned it in the XVIIth.
America wasn’t yet discovered when people started getting bored with this place. Just a parallel. 😆
Civil War is when they really deserted it.

The Cité goes abandoned and crumbles until the first round of restoration in 1853.

Very controversial restoration since the architect took some liberties, especially with the gothic pointy roofing, and the main gate drawbridge (which previously did not exist, at all)

Said main gate, drawbridge and moat.

Now I’m just walking between outer and inner walls.

Plenty of space. Takes 30-45min to walk all around.

Tiny stairs. Designed this way to ensure assailants would climb one by one. I don’t even know why I know this.

An idea of scale. That’s a motorcycle entering the doorway at the base of the tower.

Around the back. It’s muddy and tight. I am not making this up. Promised.

More guard towers.

View of the newer city and surroundings.

More gates. Again, narrow to make sure no army massively rushes in.

That’s a lot of stone.

More view of the surroundings.

More gates.

More tower.

Another minor yet imposing entrance. These towers are said to be more historically accurate than the pretty slate roofed ones.

Inside. Narrow streets.

It was pretty crowded. That’s what I get for going on a Sunday. Oh well.

Period accurate clothing. *facepalm. God I hate touristy shit.

Yo dawg, I heard you like castles, so we put a castle in yo castle in yo castle. aka, the castle within the inner walls. Yep, it’s got its own moat.
Also, example of controversial slate roof restoration.