The Land of the Cathars

Bulwarks of Heresy

The Cathars were one of the most powerful of all medieval heretic groups in the 12th and 13th century. Especially in the south of France, the sect had many followers, even among aristocrats. In their castles the community sought protection from persecution by the church’s henchmen. Neither missionary attempts nor a crusade brought the Cathars under the control of the Pope.
And so the Holy See finally relied on the Inquisition to fight the dissenters. The Church’s battle against the Cathars lasted for a good 100 years.

For the “Inquisition” issue of GEO Epoche, I photographed the land of the Cathars and the four most important Cathar castles in the Pyrenees: Montségur, Peyrepertuse, Quéribus and Puilaurens.

Land der Katharer im Süden von Frankreich.

Cathar Country

View of the village Duilhac-sous-Peyrepertuse. In the distance on the hill the silhouette of Castle Quéribus.

Court in the Cathar castle Peyrepertuse, France.

Court of the Cathar castle Puilaurens, France.

Window, Cathar castle Peyrepertuse, France.

Window of the Cathar castle Peyrepertuse, France.

Window of the Cathar castle Montségur, France.

Castle of
Montségur

The castle of Montségur was the centre of the Cathar resistance against the Catholic Church. The fortress rises 1200 m above sea level on a rugged Pyrenean rock.
In 1243, the King of France sent an army to conquer the citadel with the Cathars entrenched there. After a ten-month siege, Montségur was taken in 1244. Most of the more than 200 Cathars died at the stake.

Cathar castle Montségur above the village, France.

Château de Montségur

Above the village lies the famous Cathar castle of Montségur.

View of Cathar castle Montségur, France.

View of the Cathar castle Montségur, France.

Gate of the Cathar castle Montségur, France.

Cross at the foot of Cathar castle Montségur in France

Tower of the Cathar castle Montségur, France.

Wholes at the entrance gate at Cathar castle Montségur, France.

Stairway in the Cathar castle Montségur, France.

Stairway and window in the Cathar castle Montségur, France.

Castle of
Quéribus

Quéribus Castle in the borderland between France and Spain was one of many fortresses belonging to noble Cathar sympathisers. Whenever the Catholic authorities sent troops against the deviants, heretics found shelter here.

Château de Quéribus

Above the village lies the famous Cathar castle of Montségur.

Window in the Cathar castle Quéribus, France.

Stairway in the Cathar castle Quéribus, France.

Shaft in the Cathar castle Quéribus, France.

Ceiling in the Cathar castle Quéribus, France.

Castle of
Puilaurens

The leadership of the Catholic Church furiously persecuted the Cathars who, despite persecution, refused to abandon their faith. The castle of Puilaurens also served the Cathars as a retreat from the Inquisition.

Tower of the Cathar castle Puilaurens, France.

Tower against the sky in the Cathar castle Puilaurens, France.

Door or portal in the Cathar castle Puilaurens, France.

Donjon of the Cathar castle Puilaurens, France.

Gate in the Cathar castle Puilaurens, France.

Wall and stones in the Cathar castle Puilaurens, France.

Narrow entrance in the Cathar castle Puilaurens, France.

Stones in the Cathar castle Puilaurens, France.

Wall in the Cathar castle Puilaurens, France.

Castle of
Peyrepertuse

The core region of the Cathars in Languedoc was fought over between France, England and Aragon. Therefore, no strong central power could develop there for a long time – and thus no coordinated persecution of the dissenters. In addition, there were numerous defensive structures in the area, such as Peyrepertuse Castle on its 800-metre-high limestone cliff.