The Château de Puilaurens in the Aude department is part of the Cathar castles. Perched at the top of the Mont Ardu 2,286 ft (697 m) above sea level, it dominates the village of Lapradelle-Puilaurens. For four centuries, this strategic site was the southernmost fortress in France and represented a unique model of fortifications commanded by a central stronghold – the city of Carcassonne. Throughout its existence, the Château de Puilaurens was only taken once in 1637. Such performance also comes from the fact that the fortress remained a rear base, a support point far from the battles that raged in the middle of the XIV century.