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Quéribus

Quéribus, also known as Chateau de Quéribus, is a medieval fortress located on a limestone ridge above the village of Cucugnan in the Aude department of southern France, within the Occitanie region. The site is part of the group of Cathar castles in the Corbières and is notable for its dramatic hilltop position and panoramic views over the surrounding countryside.

The fortress dates from the 11th or 12th century and was built to guard routes through the

Quéribus is often cited as one of the last Cathar strongholds to surrender to royal authority. The

Architecturally, the site sits at about 728 meters above sea level on the Roc de Quéribus, commanding

eastern
Pyrenees
and
the
borderlands
between
feudal
powers.
Over
the
centuries
it
developed
into
a
stronghold
associated
with
the
Cathar
movement
during
the
Albigensian
Crusade,
serving
as
a
refugial
fortress
for
Cathar
sympathizers
and
fighters
as
other
castles
fell.
fortress
fell
during
the
suppression
of
Catharism,
in
the
mid-
to
late-13th
century,
with
the
fall
commonly
placed
around
1255,
marking
the
decline
of
Cathar
resistance
in
the
region.
a
commanding
view
of
the
Aude
valley
and
the
surrounding
Corbières.
Today,
the
fortress
survives
as
a
ruin,
with
remains
including
parts
of
round
towers,
sections
of
curtain
walls,
and
the
remnants
of
a
keep.
The
site
is
a
popular
destination
for
visitors
and
forms
part
of
the
broader
network
of
Cathar
castles,
illustrating
medieval
military
architecture
and
the
region’s
medieval
history.