Musée de l'Inquisition de Carcassonne

About the museum

An Inquisition tribunal was established in Carcassonne in 1234: Pope Gregory IX gave the Dominican friars full powers to judge heretics, and they settled in the Cité, at the Tour de la Justice. The museum explores the history of Catharism, the Inquisition and medieval justice in Occitania, as well as their social, religious and political consequences.

According to the museum, it has been offering a discovery of this period for more than thirty years. It occupies two sites in the medieval Cité: a main space at 7 rue Saint-Jean, in a 16th- and 17th-century building that stood out when the Cité de Carcassonne was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Cachots space at 9 rue du Grand Puits, which presents reconstructions related to trials and imprisonment. This space is clearly signposted so that each visitor can choose whether to visit it.

The route covers the context of medieval Occitania, the rise of Catharism and its condemnation as heresy, the workings of the religious courts, inquisitorial procedures, the mechanisms of repression, and torture instruments placed in their historical context. The museum says it has recently revised all of its content to include sourced and historically validated information.

Highlights

• Trail on Catharism and the Inquisition in medieval Occitania
• How religious courts and inquisitorial procedures worked
• The Cachots space, with reconstructions related to trials and imprisonment
• Guided tour, combined ticket with the Cité and an evening theatrical tour in season
• 16th- and 17th-century building in the heart of the medieval Cité

Permanent exhibition

• Parcours du Musée de l'Inquisition et espace des Cachots – Trail on Catharism, the Inquisition and medieval justice, complemented by the Cachots space and its reconstructions.

Admission & discounts

Teacher rate for self-guided visits: €10.50. Free for children under 6, including for guided tours. Online ticketing on the museum’s website; on-site payment by cash or Chèques-vacances, among other methods.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum says it welcomes animals. The route is presented as accessible to everyone, with no details on wheelchair access.

Kids & families

The museum welcomes a varied public of families, tourists and school groups. A family ticket for at least four people is offered online.

Getting there & parking

By car via the A61 motorway. The Cité is also reachable on foot or by bike from the town centre.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit