Walls That Talk: A Guide to Carcassonne’s Ancient Basilica
ID: GYG500214-882664
Category:
Country: France
Duration:
02:00 hours
Description
Find enlightenment in this spectacular church’s history, both dark and divine on this self-guided audio tour. Experience the magic of GPS-playback on this immersive stroll through Carcassonne.
If you thought ancient churches were just boring old buildings, this walking tour will surprise you. And, depending on how much you know about Christianity, it might positively shock you. On this self-guided tour of the Basilica of Saints Nazairius and Celsus, you’ll discover the truth behind the development of Western Christianity, and learn how one faction imposed its own version of orthodoxy on people by forcibly converting them and exterminating rival sects.
Our tour starts outside the spectacular must-see basilica known as Basilique Saint Nazaire et Saint Celse, located in the ancient Cité de Carcassonne. I’ll guide you around the church’s interior and you’ll find out how it was re-categorised from cathedral to basilica, and learn the difference between the two.
Along the way, you’ll have a chance to:
• Uncover the mystery of what really happened to Joan of Arc
• Share a moment with a painting of a "Veronica"
• Learn why, for centuries, it was not possible to be baptised in a church
• Hear about the death, burial and exhumation of Simon de Montfort here
• Admire some of the oldest and most beautiful stained glass and rose windows in Southern France, as well as a depiction of The Tree of Jesse
• Learn how to identify statues of Catholic Saints and Martyrs
• Understand the differences between Romanesque and Gothic architecture, and learn to identify Southern French Gothic style
• Ponder the origin of early Christianities, and the evolution of their doctrines
• Find out what happened during the Crusade against the Cathars, why there is a memorial here to a known Cathar sympathiser, and how Cathar beliefs influenced medieval Catholicism
• Learn about the Occitan culture in this area, before it became French
• Appreciate spectacular architecture, while adding some exotic architectural terms to your vocabulary
• Understand why Pope Urban II came here in 1096, when he blessed the stones of the Romanesque cathedral
• Search for the owls sitting on the branches of the Tree of Life in the Chapel of the Holy Cross
On this 120-minute tour of Cité de Carcassonne’s basilica, I’ll share the secrets hidden in the cracks of this ancient building, which echo far beyond its walls. This is decidedly not the Sunday School version of history. By the end of our walk, I hope you’ll feel enlightened by tis entertaining yet academically rigorous telling of the Christian doctrine’s fascinating history.
Highlights
- Explore Carcassonne’s breathtaking Ancient Basilica
- Hear from producer James McDonald, a British historian specialising in Occitania
- Do it all in 120 minutes or linger at stops along the way with complete control
- Get unlimited use of the tour before your booking date and after it
- Use the virtual tour option at home
Guiding languages
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The tour uses a mobile app. You will need to download the app and then use the voucher code provided to download the tour
It is a self-guided audio tour that you can start, pause, or restart at any time and complete at your own pace
You can download the tour at any time, before or after your booking date. It is best to download the tour before you set off for the starting point
When the download is complete, you will see a screen with a photo of the starting point and directions to it. The red start button will become active when you are at the starting point
The tour follows a set route and includes turn-by-turn directions. It works best if you start it in the right place and follow the directions from one location to the next Please note that you'll need to use your own mobile device and headphones for this tour. The tour is only available in English.
The tour begins just outside the main doors of the Basilica, within the Cité of Carcassonne, at Latitude 43.205459, Longitude 2.3627250, in a small square, just outside the Hôtel de la Cité.
(Google will show you where it is on Google Maps if you enter 43.205459, 2.3627250 and press search).
When should I book?
To guarantee availability book as soon as possible. Early booking is worth consideration especially if you planning the trip during high season like public holidays or weekends.
Cancellations
Cancellation is not possible. If you cancel it anyway or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity and the money you paid will not be refunded.
