Rome, Italy
3rd century AD
Città Metropolitana di Roma, Italy
335 BC
Santiponce, Spain
117-138 AD
Rome, Italy
270-273
Thessaloniki, Greece
298-306 AD
Córdoba, Spain
c. 50 AD
Mérida, Spain
1st century AD
Tivoli, Italy
c. 128 AD
Seville, Spain
68-65 BCE
Nice, France
0-100 AD
Astorga, Spain
3rd century AD
Turin, Italy
1st century AD
Catania, Italy
2nd century AD
Le Mans, France
300 AD
Milan, Italy
c. 291 AD
Rome, Italy
38 AD
Paris, France
0-100 AD
Catania, Italy
1st century AD
Caesarea, Israel
4th century BCE
Torre Annunziata, Italy
100-0 BCE
The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.
In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.