The mediaeval city, which timidly reformed after the upheaval of the Roman Empire's fall, was much smaller, confined to the eastern side of the meander by ramparts, and centred on the cathedral with its two domes. From the mid-12th to the mid-14th C., a period of economic and demographic expansion resulted in the complete reconstruction of the city, within its walls: from this time, about 350 houses still remain visible, one of the reasons why Cahors has "Ville d'Art et d'Histoire" status. The land outside the walls was partly occupied by gardens supplying food to the inhabitants, but also by large monasteries and convents. This proved vital for essential 19th and 20th C. renovations and improvements, because these sites were reappropriated to provide the space needed for large, modern constructions – thus sparing the old quarters from wholesale demolition. The Boulevard Gambetta, main street created in the 19th C., marks the dividing line between the old and the new.