Carcassonne in the Aude department was home to about 47,000 inhabitants in 2019. The Aude river separates the city into two parts known as La Bastide (lower town) and La Cité (upper town). The origins of Carcassonne date back all the way to its status as a Gallo-Roman city. Under the control of the Visigoths in the 5th century, it was conquered by the Carolingians in the 8th century. In 1209, Carcassonne was besieged by the Albigenses during the crusades against the Count of Toulouse of the Trencavel house.