- Peyrepertuse
Peyrepertuse is a ruined fortress and one of the so-called
Cathar castles located high in the FrenchPyrénées in the commune ofDuilhac-sous-Peyrepertuse , in theAude "département", and has been associated with the Counts of Narbonne and Barcelona. It stands at 800m high.The name of Peyrepetuse derived from the ancient language called Occitan and means Pierced Rock. The castle was built on a strategic location along the french/Spanish border by The kings of Aragon (lower) in the 11th Century and by Louis lX (higher) later on. The two castles are linked together by a huge staircase. However the castle lost importance as a strategic castle when the border of the two countries was moved in 1659. Because of this the castle was abannoned and unlike many other castles in the region was never subjected to siege, instead it was handed over to the french government in 1240.
During the
Albigensian Crusade it served as aCathar haven and stronghold, but was handed over to French forces without a battle in 1240. Known as one of the "five sons ofCarcassonne " — several castles along the border between France and Spain — the French fortified the castle in 1242 to protect the border.Since 1908, the site has been listed as a "
monument historique " by theFrench Ministry of Culture .ee also
*
Cathar castles
*List of castles in France External links
* [http://www.culture.gouv.fr/public/mistral/merimee_fr?ACTION=CHERCHER&FIELD_1=INSEE&VALUE_1=11123 Ministry of Culture database entry for Peyrepertuse] fr icon
* [http://www.culture.gouv.fr/public/mistral/memoire_fr?ACTION=CHERCHER&FIELD_5=LBASE&VALUE_5=PA00102673 Ministry of Culture photos]
* [http://www.smh.com.au/news/france/france-the-code-breakers/2005/10/31/1130720469723.html travel article on the region, including Peyrepertuse and the five sons of Carcassonne]
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