Palais des Papes, Avignon's vast Gothic papal fortress

Palais des Papes in Avignon turns the fourteenth?century papal court into a monumental Gothic fortress and palace complex that still dominates the Rhône city. Palais des Papes in Avignon is a vast medieval Gothic fortress and palace where the popes of the fourteenth century installed their court and reshaped the city's skyline. A Gothic palace-fortress above the Rhône Palais des Papes rises on the Rocher des Doms, a rocky outcrop above the left bank of the Rhône at the northern edge of Avignon's historic centre.Rocher des Doms Within the UNESCO-listed historic centre of Avignon, the palace dominates the town's roofscape and stands close to the cathedral of Notre-Dame des Doms and the remains of the medieval bridge over the river.UNESCO historic centre The ensemble visitors see is a fortified complex of thick walls and towers wrapped around courtyards and ceremonial halls, giving the palace both the silhouette of a stronghold and the volume of a major residence.palace-fortress Stone ramparts encircle much of Avignon, and Palais des Papes rises above them, forming a focal point for the historic core recognised on the World Heritage List.World Heritage inscription Papal power and fourteenth-century construction Avignon became a seat of the papacy in 1309, when Clement V chose to reside in the city rather than return to Rome after his election.Avignon papacy origins His successor John XXII moved into an earlier bishop's palace on the Rocher des Doms, establishing a foothold for the papal court beside the cathedral. The palace visitors walk through today is principally the work of Benedict XII and Clement VI, the two 'builder popes' of the Avignon period.builder popes Benedict XII, elected in 1334, ordered the demolition of the old episcopal residence and commissioned the architect Pierre Poisson to construct a fortified complex now known as the Palais Vieux, a project that extended through the 1330s.Benedict XII and Pierre Poisson Clement VI, pope between 1342 and 1352, expanded the ensemble with the more ornate Palais Neuf, entrusted to the architect Jean de Louvres from the Île-de-France region.Jean de Louvres extension Together these phases produced a combined Gothic palace whose floor area has been compared with several cathedrals. Gothic spaces, frescoes and later uses The architecture of Palais des Papes is Gothic in both structure and decoration, with high halls, ribbed vaults and austere exteriors contrasting with painted interiors.Gothic style Inside, chapels and chambers preserve fourteenth-century frescoes attributed to Italian painters such as Simone Martini and Matteo Giovanetti, whose work brought influences from Siena into the papal residence on the Rhône.Simone Martini and Matteo Giovanetti During the Avignon Papacy and the Western Schism, a succession of popes and antipopes resided in the palace, and papal conclaves held within its walls elected pontiffs including Benedict XII, Clement VI, Innocent VI, Urban V, Gregory XI and Benedict XIII.papal conclaves After the papacy returned to Rome in the late fourteenth century, Palais des Papes remained under papal authority for centuries, later serving as a residence for legates and vice-legates and, following the French Revolution, being adapted as a military barracks before becoming a monument open to visitors.later uses of the palace Visiting Palais des Papes: what travellers from Western Europe should know Palais des Papes stands in the historic centre of Avignon in southern France, on the Rocher des Doms above the left bank of the Rhône. The complex includes enclosed courtyards, monumental staircases and long interior corridors, and visiting involves walking across uneven stone floors and climbing flights of steps. Avignon is reached by mainline railway services, including high-speed links to Paris and other French cities, and the palace lies within walking distance of central stations and riverside quays. The official language is French and the currency is the euro. Searching for Palais des Papes on social platforms These links open searches for Palais des Papes on each platform. Frequently asked questions about Palais des Papes Where is Palais des Papes and what is its setting? Palais des Papes stands in Avignon in southern France, on the Rocher des Doms above the Rhône and within the city's UNESCO-listed historic centre. What should visitors expect inside the palace? A visit involves moving through large Gothic halls, chapels, courtyards and staircases, with stone interiors and preserved frescoes from the fourteenth-century papal court. What makes Palais des Papes distinctive among European palaces? The palace combines the scale of a major Gothic residence with the defensive form of a fortress and served as the main seat of the popes during the Avignon Papacy.