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India: discovering the Jaisalmer fort, compared to the fortified city of Carcassonne
India: discovering the fortress of Jaisalmer, compared with the fortified city of Carcassonne – (France 2)
13 Heures takes you, Wednesday 14 February, to explore the fortress of Jaisalmer, in India, which has many similarities to our fortified city, Carcassonne.
In India, Jaisalmer Fort looks like a giant sand castle located on a hill. Compared by some to the city of Carcassonne (Aude), Jaisalmer is a nearly thousand year old site discovered by two Frenchmen that day. They began their visit at the foot of the fort, which is five kilometers long. Today, Jaisalmer is the only inhabited fort in India. 5,000 people live in this maze of narrow streets.
Twin project with Carcassonne
The fort was built around the royal palace, the first building in the city founded in 1156 by Maharaja Jaisal Singh, after whom Jaisalmer was named. Currently, the palace has become a museum. The Maharajas no longer had executive powers at this time. They act as cultural ambassadors for their region. To promote Jaisalmer, Maharawal Chaitanya Raj Singh, the current Maharaja of Jaisalmer, dreams of seeing his city merged with the walled city of Carcassonne, which he visited in October 2023. With this twinning project, the Maharaja hopes to receive advice in the future. France on heritage preservation.
