WHERE ARE LOCATED NARBONNE?

In the region of Occtinia, department of Aude in the south of France. With more than 50 thousand inhabitants until reaching more than 120mil with their surroundings.

At 2.40 pm from Barcelona, Spain.

And 50min of Carcassonne (the famous medieval city)

INDEX:

NARBONNE IN ITS HISTORY:

OLD AGE:

The VI century BC. it testifies to the existence of a city called Naro or Narbónthat was the capital of the “Elisicos”, one of the peoples of the Mediterranean. The city was situated to the north of the current Narbonne. The elisicos were repelled or absorbed in the the III century BC by volcas (a celtic tribe).

Narbo was chosen by the romans to establish a colony, Narbo-Martiusfounded in 118 AC after the creation of the Province. It happened at the oppidum prerromano of Ensérune. Narbonne had access to the sea through the Aude, which would result in the lagoons situated to the south. It was the main port in the south of Gaul after Marseille. It was located on the via Domitia, the first roman road in Gaul, which allowed to bind to the Italian peninsula and Hispania.

In the 52 AC, when the rutenes allies Vercingétorix threatened the city, the own Julius Caesar he organized his defense. In the 45, Caesar, following his intervention in Spain, and established his veterans of the X legion in Narbonne and called the city: Colonia Julia Narbo Martius and became one of the most beautiful cities of the West. 

In the 27, Octavio Augusto convened in Narbonne, a general assembly that decided the administrative organization of Gaul. The Province becomes the Gallia Narbonensisbecome a senatorial province. Here was born the emperor Antoninus. 

Despite a fire in the year 150 DC and a slight deterioration during the century IIIthe city of Narbonne, he retained his rank of captain until the fall of the Empire. It was until the end of the Western roman Empire one of the most important towns of Gaul with a surface area of more than 2 km2.

MIDDLE AGE:

The visigoths taken from the 413. The king Ataulfo married Gallia Placidiadaughter of the emperor Theodosius the Great and sister Honorius. But soon had to abandon the city, which would remain roman until the 462. From this date, the city was handed over to Theodoric II going on to form part of the visigothic kingdom of Toulouse. The visigoths ruled it until the 719. Narbona was a metropolis religious until the fall of the visigothic kingdom when it was occupied by the saracens, which occupied it until the 759. This year the local population annihilated the garrison muslim and handed over the city to the franks in return for keeping their customary laws. 

After having been the capital of the duchy carolingian of Gothiathe city is divided between the archbishop (Cité), the vizcondado (Bourg) and a jewish neighborhood independent (Villeneuve), prospered until the beginning of the FOURTEENTH centurywhen the jews were expelled. 

In 1320the river Aude, breaking their levees, flooded the plain, and from then continued on its current course. The old bed, swampy and stinking, became the cause of epidemics, These events mark the end of the prosperity of the city, which ceased to play any role maritime.

MODERN AGE

Narbonne met with the Crown in 1507 and it was, until the Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659)the first French city that faced the power of the catholic monarchs of Spain, whose border was located in the region of Corbières. For several decades, the city was constantly fortified and became the French fortress more important in the south. After 1659, its strategic role is faded and it happened to be secondary.

Its splendour was in oblivion: economic stagnation, loss of political influence, limited urban development, except the surroundings of the channel (docks, bridge, horse). At the time of the Revolution, Narbonne had only about ten thousand inhabitants. He also lost the archiepiscopal see, the archdiocese was abolished in 1790 and then Narbonne was reduced to the rank of a bishopric, a range that was lost during the Concordat of 1801. and even it was designated capital of the new department of Aude.

CONTEMPORARY:

Narbonne lived a golden age of wine from the decade of 1820, favoured particularly by the construction of the railway station in 1856. At the same time, the city tore down the walls between 1868 and 1882, which led to the almost complete disappearance of the heritage military of the SIXTEENTH and SEVENTEENTH centuries.

They appeared new boulevards, burgher houses with facades lanes, gardens and public buildings of haussmanian. The Promenade des Barques (Ride of the boats) and its great cafes became the center of the city with the construction of the great stores Aux Dames de France. Narbonne, it experienced a slow economic recovery and demographic.

The covered market of “les halles” it opened its doors in 1901. This art nouveau building, is a pride of the people narbonense that consists of an environment of flavors, colors and aromas where the warmth, authenticity and warmth are key words. Later they built the Palace of Arts, Sports and Workof international style of the thirties and became the great work of Narbonne during this period.

To 15 km of Narbonne was born in the resort town of Narbonne-Plage in the midst of the sand and water, due to the advancement of the society of leisure and tourism resort. Founded Louis Madaule, mayor of Narbonne, between 1948 and 1956. Its development is even more intensified in the sixties to become the sought-after seaside resort family that it is today.

SITES TO VISIT / WHAT TO SEE IN NARBONNE

Click on the names of the places to see their location on Google Maps.

The construction of the cathedral of San Justo and San Pastor it was initiated in 1272 date on which is laid the first stone of the cathedral. The construction ended in 1355 with the invasion of the Black prince. Never was finished its construction. His 41-metre, making it the third-oldest cathedral high of France, behind only that of Amiens and Bourges. It is gothic in style and is in lieu of a fourth-century church located in the same place.

In the center of the Town square, you can see the ancient Via Domitia in the state that was at the end of the century IV. It is a vestige of the first great roman road, drawn in Gaul from the 120. C. by the proconsul Gnaeus Domitius Enobarbotwo years before the foundation of the colony Narbo Martius, the first roman colony in Gaul. The via Domitia joined Italy and Spain in rome. In Narbonne, the Via Domitia was the Via Aquitania, which is open in the direction of the Atlantic Toulouse and Bordeauxtesting the role of city crossroads that had the city. The remains discovered on February 7, 1997 presented a part of the limestone lasts with which it was made, marked by the deep lanes. The Via Domitia is bordered by a sidewalk and in the base there is a source.

The Palace of the Archbishops is notable for having several towers. The tower Gilles Aycelin the end of the THIRTEENTH century and principles of the FOURTEENTH century and the Tower San Marcial and the Madeleine the THIRTEENTH centurythat includes the old palace of romanesque origin and the new palace of the gothic style altered, built between XII and XIII centuries. From the NINETEENTH century welcomes you to the town hall, the Museum of Art and the Archaeological Museum. 

The museum of Art and History meets Italian paintings (Tintoretto), Spanish, flemish, Dutch, and French (SEVENTEENTH and EIGHTEENTH centuries; portraits of Rigaud and Mignard), furniture, enamels lemosinos, tile, as well as roman mosaics.

Also in the former archdiocese, the archaeological museum presents the local civilization, from prehistoric times to the sixth century. Completed by the museum lapidary, which occupies the former church of Notre-Dame de Lamourguier, of the XII-XIII centuries.

During the imperial roman times, the city was adorned with majestic monuments, of which today there are no traces. Only left the underground storage, the arches of a bridge, and, above all, a multitude of carved stones and recorded and stored in the museum lapidary of the old church of CHURCH OF NOTRE-DAME DE LAMOURGUIER

The horreum roman: The underground galleries of the the I century a. C. they are composed of corridors that lead to a series of small rooms. Originally, they were under a space already disappeared, probably a market or a public store (Horreum in Latin).

This remarkable testimony to the vitality of the commercial activities of the ancient city was rediscovered in the 1930s and was classified a historical monument in 1961. The Horreum, open to the public since 1976, is the only ancient monument that can be seen today in Narbonne and offers an immersion in the heart of the history of the city and of the roman architecture.

The structure of this bridge consisted of seven arches (we are only sure of the existence of 6). It was the entrance gate to the old city from the south and the passage to the Via Domitia. The Pons Vetus communicates the neighborhoods Bourg, and Cité. Currently, you only see an arc, suggesting the width of the old Aude.

This is the first gothic church of Narbonne and one of the oldest of the south of France. It was erected in 1180 on the tomb of the first bishop of Narbonne, saint Paul. Its crypt corresponds to the old ancient christian cemetery (III-IV century). The choir was constructed between 1224 and 1230, while the vaults were renovated in 1368. In the FIFTEENTH century, added two sections to the warehouse of the west. In the SIXTEENTH century, were reinforced a-pillars and added three arches, known as the arches of the diaphragm. This religious building has the particularity of mixing in a curious way the art romanesque and gothic in its architecture.

Apparently here was the old roman forum. There are some monuments as you see in the image refer to the historical stage. Today it bears the name of “Forum Narbonne” and is a beautiful square.

TOUR RECOMMENDED

You arrive from Carcassonne / Toulouse or Barcelona or wherever, the more likely it is you get off at the bus station or train they are practically side by side. From there walk to the historic center is quite close and is super nice to do. I grabbed it by the cathedral, which is the best thing that has Narbonne and I recommend doing that; because once you're there everything else you become super close. You will be able to guide you with this blog. going to all the places you recommended above, taking the location of each place on google maps, as you say, and all the details of each place.

FREE WALKING TOURS RECOMMENDED:

WHERE TO STAY IN NARBONNE?

Well I stayed in Carcassonne, not in Narbonne, in Le Couvent Hostel 4 nights for a total of $127USD / $122,40€ that is 30,6€ by night. It is located in the bastide de San Luisvery close to the stop of the Flixbus and train station. At 1hr and 20 minutes from Toulouse.

They are very good facilities! With room for 4 people with bathroom incubated or 2 people with private bathroom in the hall (I could see I). They have a restaurant very nice but did not have breakfast. I was able to ask for water for mate 🧉 and were always very attentive and with a smile. Due to the extreme cold, and any failure of your heating, I went from the room of 4 to 2 (in both I was alone). Fortunately there was more cushioned and we sobreellevar the cold. I was given a birra 🍺 during the match of Brazil for the world cup (for the inconvenience). And as they do not have towelsyou sell them for 4€ (a small) that still have it and use it in my travel ja!

Of course there are other options if your budget is more bulky or if you don't want to hostels.

TOMI TIPS

-I didn't have a lot of time in the city, due to the delay of a train that was of protest. But that gave me the chance to tell you that with a little time can do a lot. Narbonne is a small city and you will see the most important of the city walk. If you want to go to museums because you will need 1 full day.

-All churches are free and allow you to take pictures and videos. I did not find many ancient ruins of the roman, visigothic, or frank (early). Are most of all the churches of the middle ages for the centuries-X to XV about the style, and the palace of the archbishops. In that sense, for a lover of the archaeological sites, is a bit disappointing. Although there is as I mention above, there are a few (and I lost). But I also couldn't get into the museums where you possibly would have compensated for this lack that is in the streets.

-What we do I was pleasantly surprised by is the Cathedralis stunning and just that alone is already worth the visit to Narbonne. The rest of the complex comprising the palace of the archbishops is fascinating too and if you're short on time, go only those places would be recomedanble.

-If you're going in the winter abrigate a blast! I went during the month of December 2022 was very fresh.

HOW TO GO FROM CARCASSONNE / TOULOUSE / BARCELONA TO NARBONNE

Monday 05/12/22 I went to Narbonne from Carcassonne by train 17,80€ the back and forth with the application of omiš. The train station in Narbonne  it is relatively close to the center as to reach and walk without problems. 

Every day I was in France there was a stop of public transport and that day I thought that also. I thought well, the train took about 2 hours and of course I waited because I had already paid with the app. Therefore, I do not recommend buying the train tickets previously, because if you're going to the station and you see that there is a delay as well, you can grope Bla Bla car and if you have one of the options, you are saved. 

Also it is possible to go from Barcelona to Narbonne with Flixbus. Tickets from 18€approx 40€ back and forth the cheapest that you can get. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLNnRvuAA70&t=1s 

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