GALLERY OF ARCHITECT GARY TURPENING'S FAVORITE BUILDINGS 

---

CITIES AND CASTLES
OF THE CATHARS

Return to: *****Architecture Direct*****Cote D'Azure*****Roman and earlier ***** Medieval Art****Pilgrimages
Castles and cities of the Cathars ***** Magic of Barcelona *****Building a cathedral year 116 ***** Prehistoric finds
California Modern Architecture including Richard Neutra***** American Greek Revival Architecture

The following images are from my working vacation to the Riviera, southern France, Andorra, and Catalunya with my daughter Susan as a college graduation present.

E-Mail   to purchase prints or posters Gary Turpening ALA

---

CARCASSONNE CASTLE & CATHEDRAL
Built in the XI th  Century as a Romanesque church, it was expanded in the Gothic style in the XII th and XIII th  Centuries after the defeat of the spiritual Christian Cathars in the First Crusade, a horrifying  story of the errors of Christianity.  This church has the front of the transept pushed forward to be flush with the nave, allowing the front to be covered with windows. The effect is a very transparent and well lighted space.

This town goes back 2,500 years that are documented.

More on this church in Medieval Art.

The town walls and castle.  The bottom of the inner walls are Roman.

This gate  has Roman walls.

The size of these fortifications shock the imagination- yet the Cathars only had water for only two weeks and lost their town to the First Crusade. Those that were not killed were expelled- like Kosovo.

 Labasside

Right: Building a new home from the remains of an ancient fortification- the ultimate in cool.

Cupservies

For a sense of scale, notice the flock of sheep on right half-way down.
This falls (cascade in French) was almost unmarked.

MIREPOIX

FOIX

Castle was home of Count Raymond-Roger.

Over to Andorra.  This is one scary pass.

Your tour guide.

---

 THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE- editorial comment is welcome.

Return to: *****Architecture Direct*****Cote D'Azure*****Roman and earlier ***** Medieval Art****Pilgrimages
Castles and cities of the Cathars ***** Magic of Barcelona *****Building a cathedral year 116 ***** Prehistoric finds
California Modern Architecture including Richard Neutra***** American Greek Revival Architecture

E-Mail to Gary Turpening ALA