Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne
UNESCO World Heritage · 1997

Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne

Cultural

WHS ID

345

Inscribed

1997

Category

Cultural

Description

Since the pre-Roman period, a fortified settlement has existed on the hill where Carcassonne now stands. In its present form it is an outstanding example of a medieval fortified town, with its massive defences encircling the castle and the surrounding buildings, its streets and its fine Gothic cathedral. Carcassonne is also of exceptional importance because of the lengthy restoration campaign undertaken by Viollet-le-Duc, one of the founders of the modern science of conservation.

Inscription details

Field Value
WHS ID 345
Inscribed 1997
Category Cultural
Criteria (ii)(iv)
State party France
Transboundary No
French name Ville fortifiée historique de Carcassonne

Protected monuments

Monument Commune Protected
Eglise Saint-Georges de Souancé-au-Perche Souancé-au-Perche 1930
Croix dite de la Bonne-Dame Châteauneuf-sur-Loire 1929
Eglise Saint-Denis de Saint-Denis-d'Anjou Saint-Denis-d'Anjou 1931
Crypte de Bourgmoyen de Blois Blois 1945
Logis de la Constantinière Soulaines-sur-Aubance 1994
Menhir de Gobianne de Chahaignes Chahaignes 1984
Ancien manoir de Crouzilles Crouzilles 1929
Eglise Notre-Dame de Courdemanche Courdemanche 2002
Maison de Angers Angers 1925
Manoir de la Bouchardière Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg 2005
Manoir de Fontenay de Lignières-de-Touraine Lignières-de-Touraine 1947
Immeuble de Orléans Orléans 1945
Ancienne abbaye d'Olivet Saint-Julien-sur-Cher 1963
Eglise paroissiale Notre-Dame Richelieu 1921
Maison de Orléans Orléans 1928

Loire appellations

Appellation Avg score Reviews Color
Sancerre 89.3 554 White
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine 88.6 237 White
Pouilly-Fumé 89.6 153 White
Vouvray 88.4 153 White
Touraine 86.3 85 White
Chinon 88.7 72 Red
Menetou-Salon 87.3 69 White
Crémant de Loire 87.5 54 Sparkling
Val de Loire 85.6 41 White
Saumur 88.4 40 White
Anjou 87.6 36 White
Rosé d'Anjou 84 35 Rosé

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Updated: April 14, 2026.