Carcassonne is one of Europe's most emblematic fortified towns. With its impressive ramparts and numerous defensive towers, the city is a perfect illustration of a fighting style that has marked military history for several centuries: siege warfare.
Unlike battles fought on open ground, siege warfare involved attacking or defending a fortress with the sole aim of taking control of a town or highly strategic point. Several methods were used by the attackers to achieve this:
- Surround the stronghold to starve out the defenders with a rigorous blockade; ;
- Destroy the walls using artillery and cannons; ;
- Launch direct and massive assaults against the ramparts ;
- Digging underground galleries (mines) under walls to cause them to collapse.
This type of conflict was based on a very precise discipline called the poliorcetics, This term comes from the ancient Greek and refers to the art of attacking and defending strongholds.
Between the XVIe and the XVIIIe In the 19th century, poliorcetics became an essential part of European military strategy. It simultaneously mobilised three major pillars:
- Advanced tactical knowledge; ;
- Complex engineering techniques; ;
- Advanced skills in military architecture.
Fortifications played a central role in protecting territories and populations. Today, Carcassonne is a remarkable example of this defensive architecture. Its double ring of ramparts and 52 towers bear witness to the vital importance attached to defending towns from the military threats of the time.
This fourth stage reminds us that the conflicts of the past were not only played out on the battlefields, but also at the foot of the walls, in the heart of the fortresses and through the resistance of the cities.
