Fanjeaux - Notre-Dame de l’Assomption

In medieval times Fanjeaux, located on a steep hill, was a pretty large village with a population of about 3000 (today 700). It was an important place during the Albigensian Crusade. Dominic Gúzman (future "Saint Dominic"), who preached against the Cathars had settled nearby and Simon de Montfort´s armee had the headquarters during the crusade here for five years.

In 1355, during the Hundred Years` War, troops led by Edward of Woodstock (aka "The Black Prince", "Prince noir") conquered and destroyed Fanjeaux, that got rebuilt and strongly fortified by a surrounding wall and 14 (!) towers.

The parish church was erected 1278 - 1281 in the style of "gothique méridional". Kept here is a piece of a burnt beam, connected to the "miracle de Fanjeaux" (= (miracle of Fanjeaux"), that - how a legend tells, happened right here. I could not see the "relic", as the church was locked - but at least I could view the nave through the security glass of the door.

After a disput between Cathar authorities and Dominic Gúzman and his followers it was decided by judges, to cast the book, containing Dominic´s arguments, and the book, containing the Cathar´s arguments,
into a fire and, if either of them was not burned, it would be held as containing the true faith.

The Cathar book was immediately consumed by the fire, but the one written by Dominic, not only escaped burning, but leaped from the fire.