Photo : Martin Kraft / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Palais des papes
The Palace of the Popes is the symbol of the Church's influence over Christian Europe in the fourteenth century. Built from 1335, in less than twenty years, it is mainly the work of two building popes, Benedict XII and his successor Clement VI.
The monument is the largest Gothic palace in the world (15,000 m² of floor space, the volume of 4 Gothic cathedrals), and presents the visitor with more than twenty places, stages of events of universal resonance, including notably the pope's private apartments and their fabulous fresco decorations executed by the Italian artist Matteo Giovannetti. The monument also offers visitors regular cultural events throughout the year. Thematic and educational exhibitions, themed tours and concerts are held there. During the summer season a major art exhibition occupies the Great Chapel, while performances of the Avignon Festival, created by Jean Vilar in 1947, take place in July in the Palace's Court of Honour.
