Rennes-le-Château is a French municipality (commune) located in the Aude department in the Occitania region. The territory’s location is on the Corbières massif, in its western part, 18 km from Bugarach peak (le pic de Bugarach).
History
This is a place with a rich history. Dinosaurs invaded 70 million years BC, as evidenced by a 10 km museum in the town of Espéraza.
The Romans occupied Gaul during the II century but their domination was beneficial for the current department of Aude; they built thermal baths near Rennes-les-Bains (13 km from the town), which today have become a famous spa center.
Rennes Castle had been a place of invasion since the 5th century. Visigoths, Franks, and Crusaders all fought against the Cathars and left footprints still visible in the castles and churches of Rennes-le-Chateau and neighboring towns.
There are the ruins of a medieval fortress belonging to the Templars (Order of the Poor Knights of Christ) a few kilometers southeast of Rennes-le-Chateau.
There are also the ruins of the family residence of Bertrand de Blanchefort, the fourth great masters of the Order in the middle of the XII century near the town.
A road passed through Rennes-le-Chateau, along which pilgrims used to go in the old days; it connected Northern Europe with Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
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