Another Reason to Visit Carcassonne

Over the past few years we have visited the Cité in Carcassonne many, many times, and each time we seemed to discover some corner or aspect of the place that we hadn't noticed before. Eventually, however, one too many hot, crowded days took their toll and we stopped going. Now there's a new reason to go back.

As of May 10, visitors can now see frescoes dating from the end of the 12th and beginning of the 13th centuries in the "keep," or central stronghold, of the chateau at the heart of the Cité. The frescoes, which have been under restoration for two months, are believed to depict battles between French and Saracen soldiers and perhaps illustrations of scenes from the Song of Roland or events from the crusades.

During the Middle Ages the name "Saracen" was used to refer generally to all Muslims. The Song of Roland, the earliest known major work of French literature, is a poem believed to have been written between 1040 and 1115, about an ill-fated unit of Charlemage's forces attacked by Basques at Roncevaux Pass in the Pyrenees (roughly one-third of the way from Pamplona to Pau) while retreating from Spain in 778. Originally passed down by oral tradition, the story became widely popular in the mid-1100s when it was transcribed in several different manuscript versions. By this time, the original historical facts had been skewed significantly: among other things, the minor nobleman after whom the poem is named had become identified as Charlemagne's nephew and the Basques had been transformed into Saracens. These frescoes, then, may represent the artist's representations of a "popular song" of its time.

One can (and people do) debate the accuracy of aspects of the 19th century renovations to the Cité at Carcassonne, or complain about the summer crowds and the souvenir shops that line the main street. There is, however, no gainsaying the historical pull of the place. With these frescoes now on display, even those who have already been several times have a compelling reason to return.