Perpignan

Description

Perpignan is a city, a commune and the capital of the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. Though settlement in the area goes back to Roman times, the medieval town of Perpignan seems to have been founded around the beginning of the 10th century. Soon Perpignan became the capital of the counts of Roussillon. Historically, it was part of the region known as Septimania. In May 1907 it was a seat of agitation by southern producers for government enforcement of wine quality following a collapse in prices. The walls surrounding the town, which had been designed by Vauban, were razed in 1904 to accommodate urban development. The main city door, the Castillet is a small fortress built in the 14th century, which has been preserved. It had also been used as a prison until the end of the 19th century.