The fortress of Roquefixade has faced that of Montségur since the 11th century from the top of its cliff. Some 323 ft (100 m) long, it is divided into two enclosures: at the bottom, a courtyard surrounded by curtain walls that follow the ridge line, and at the top, the main castle accessible by a gate tower (an airlock closed by two doors). Louis XIII ordered the destruction of the fortress of Roquefixade in 1632, only preserving a wall pierced by two arched windows and a tower. In the 13th century, the village housed a community of practicing Cathars who fought for their religious freedom.