The Cathar Martyrs
Ville Narbonne
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Narbonne
Also in Aude Department, this town merits
a visit.
A Celtic town founded by the Gauls, in 118BC it
was used by the Romans who called it Colonia Narbo Martius and
built the first Roman road in Gaul the Via Domitia, some of which can be
still seen today.
There was an important Jewish community in the
11th and 12th centuries and it's mentioned in the
Talmud.
As with Carcassonne it was able to provide
little resistance to the crusaders of Simon de Montfort and was easily
taken.
The cathedral of St Just is a fascinating
building dating from 1272. Interestingly, there are operative
masons marks by the entrance, effectively the signatures of the
builders.
Much older than the cathedral is the site of the Basilica of St Paul Serge. This was built on a Roman graveyard dating from the third century. Paul, first Bishop of Narbonne was traditionally buried there. He is said to have taken his name form Paul of Tarsus who converted him. Part of a 6th century Roman Christian tomb is incorporated into the walls. |
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