Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne

Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne is a UNESCO World Heritage cultural, inscribed in 1997 (WHS 345).

Criteria & Perimeter

Inscription criteria

(ii)(iv)

Summary

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.

Monuments in the Zone

Selection of protected monuments

Tuilerie de la Bretèche — Ligny-le-Ribault
Immeuble sur cours Cambronne — Nantes
Eglise Saint-Baudel de Saint-Bouize — Saint-Bouize
Abbaye de la Sainte-Trinité et son collège — Thiron-Gardais
Immeuble de Angers — Angers
Hôtel de Charnières-Louet — Angers
Maisons de Preuilly-sur-Claise — Preuilly-sur-Claise
Ancienne chapelle Sainte-Marie-Madeleine de Quinquenevent — Machecoul
Maison de Orléans — Orléans
Immeuble de Luçon — Luçon
Château du Gué-Péan de Monthou-sur-Cher — Monthou-sur-Cher
Hôtel Viart de Blois — Blois
Monument funéraire romain sculpté dans un rocher — Sauzelles
Eglise de Nuillé-sur-Vicoin — Nuillé-sur-Vicoin
Manoir de la Vignette — Le Cellier

Appellations of the Landscape

Most-reviewed 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

Data source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre (data.culture.gouv.fr). Last updated: April 14, 2026.