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Carcassone
Carcassonne (, also , , ; ; la, Carcaso) is a French fortified city in the department of Aude, in the region of Occitanie. It is the prefecture of the department. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Carcassonne is located in the plain of the Aude between historic trade routes, linking the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea and the Massif Central to the Pyrénées. Its strategic importance was quickly recognized by the Romans, who occupied its hilltop until the demise of the Western Roman Empire. In the fifth century, it was taken over by the Visigoths, who founded the city. Within three centuries, it briefly came under Islamic rule. Its strategic location led successive rulers to expand its fortifications until the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659. Its citadel, known as the Cité de Carcassonne, is a medieval fortress dating back to the Gallo-Roman period and restored by the theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in 1853. It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prefectures In France
In France, a prefecture (french: préfecture) may be: * the ''chef-lieu de département'', the commune in which the administration of a department is located; * the ''chef-lieu de région'', the commune in which the administration of a region is located; * the jurisdiction of a prefecture; * the official residence or headquarters of a prefect. Although the administration of departments and regions is distinct, a regional prefect is '' ex officio'' prefect of the department in which the regional prefecture is located. The officeholder has authority upon the other prefects in the region on a range of matters. Role of the prefecture There are 101 prefectures in France, one for each department. The official in charge is the prefect (french: préfet). The prefecture is an administration that belongs to the Ministry of the Interior; it is therefore in charge of the delivery of identity cards, driving licenses, passports, residency and work permits for foreigners, vehicle registration ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
