St Madeleine of Béziers Church, Béziers, France dates back to the C11th. It’s a very plain unadorned church but it’s steeped in history.
Béziers was a Cathar/Albigensian stronghold. In AD1208 Pope Innocent III called for a Crusade against ‘heretics’ and the following year the Abbot of Citeaux, Arnaud Amalric, duly obliged by surrounding the town. Some citizens and clergy took sanctuary in the church so the Abbot bolted the doors and burned it down with the people in it. He, along with the notorious Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester, then went on to slaughter 20,000 townsfolk; probably an exaggerated figure as there were only 15000 living in the town at that time. Historians looking at source material reckon about 7000 were murdered. The burning of nearby St. Nazaire Cathedral accounted for another 8000.
Originally there were two square towers but one was destroyed. The other now supports the C15th bell tower. The porch was added in the C18th.
Paul A. McKendrick UK 
I’ve been there. Sat there, cried. Beziers has a bad vibe overall. The Nazis have a history here, too.
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Thanks for your comment. I’ve read about the
‘Far right’ Mayor of Béziers and it is acknowledged that many European countries suffered due to Nazi Germay. My father served in WW2 in Africa, Italy and Palestine with British Army. I’m pleased that my images reminded you of a previous time. Thanks again.
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