Fodor's Expert Review Église de la Madeleine
Béziers
Religious Building
The heavily restored church, with its distinctive octagonal tower, was the place where the infamous 1209 massacre began. Some 7,000 townspeople, who had sought refuge from Simon de Montfort inside the church, were burned alive before he turned his attention to sacking the town. The event is known as le grand mazel (the great slaughter).