Katharinenkirche (St. Catherine's Church) was an important mediaeval church, destroyed during the Second World War and preserved as a ruin.
St. Catherine's was the church of a former Dominican convent, in the Diocese of Bamberg, famous for its Medieval Library. It was founded in 1295 by Konrad von Neumarkt and his wife Adelheid, patricians of the Pfinzig family. In the Middle Ages it had an important medieval library. After the Reformation, it became a Lutheran church. The convent was closed in 1596 after the last inhabitant died.
The church was associated with the Meistersingers who met there from 1620 to 1778, and is featured in the opening scene of Richard Wagner's opera Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.
Although destroyed by air raids in 1945, it was partially restored (1970–71) and is used for events such as open-air concerts.
References: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.