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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Gallo-Roman walls of Saint-Lizier are a stone wall built at the end of the fourth century, surrounding the upper part of the city. They form an almost intact whole, thanks to their reuse as foundations for later buildings, including the Couserans Bishop's Palace and Notre-Dame-de-la-Sède Cathedral. 740 metres long, 8 metres high and 2 metres thick, they adopt a "D" shape, with 12 towers (6 squares and 6 rounds), 10 of which are partially preserved. Their route limits an interior space of 265 metres east to west and 150 metres north to south.

Classified as a Historical Monument by decree of 11 December 1912, these walls illustrate the defensive architecture of the Lower Roman Empire. Their exceptional state of conservation makes it a key testimony of the ancient fortifications in the southwest of Gaul. They are also integrated into the Chemins de Compostelle in France, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, highlighting their historical and cultural importance.

Located around the high town of Saint-Lizier (Ariège, Occitanie), the walls served as a base for medieval and modern buildings, ensuring their preservation. Their study, notably by historians such as Christine Dieulafait and Robert Sablayrolles, reveals their role in a wider Pyrenean defensive system. Their property now belongs to the Ariège department, and their precise location is attested near the Bishop's Park (1 Bishop's Park Road).

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