Neither Transylvania nor Edinburgh, this is the most cursed castle in the world
Hundreds of people were burned to death in a gigantic bonfire at Europe’s most cursed castle.
The legend of Dracula has made the famous castle in Transylvania (Romania) a frequent entry on lists of the world’s most cursed places, drawing thousands of visitors each year.
Another often-mentioned site is Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, where legend speaks of the Lonely Piper—a man sent to explore the underground tunnels who vanished without a trace and is said to still roam them to this day.
Despite their eerie reputations, both castles possess a certain beauty—something that cannot be said of the place we are about to explore: the fortress of Montségur. Located in southern France, it is shrouded in a dark legend that surpasses most.
Why is Montségur Castle considered cursed?
Montségur lies in the French Pyrenees, just over two hours from the town of La Jonquera in the province of Girona. Perched atop a rocky peak more than 1,200 meters high, the ruins are believed to be those of a Cathar stronghold, where members of the sect resisted the brutal advance of the Inquisition.
In the mid-13th century, the fortress was besieged by nearly 10,000 soldiers led by Hugo de Arcis, while roughly 500 people took shelter inside. After a 10-month siege, the defenders were forced to surrender and renounce Catharism. Yet 210 of them refused. As punishment, they were burned alive on a massive pyre ignited at the foot of the fortress—its flames said to have engulfed the area entirely.
Legend holds that four Cathars managed to escape before the fire, taking with them a hidden treasure—possibly even the Holy Grail. Today, a tombstone stands along the road leading to the fortress, commemorating those who perished.
It reads: Als catars, als màrtirs del pur amor crestian. 16 mars 1244. (“To the Cathars, martyrs of pure Christian love. March 16, 1244.”)
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