Avignon - Palais des Papes

Avignon was Greek Emporium founded by Phocaeans from Marseille around 539 BC. Much later it became a Roman colony, named "Colonia Julia Hadriana Avenniensis". During the migration period the Goths looted the town and in 472 Avignon was sacked by the Burgundians.

In 500 Clovis I, King of the Franks besieged Avignon as his arch-enemy Gondebaud had taken refuge in Avignon. Clovis devastated the fields, cut down the vines and olive trees, and destroyed the orchards.

In 734 it fell into the hands of the Saracens, and it was destroyed in 737 by the Franks under Charles Martel. Avignon recovered and in 916 King of Provence Louis the Blind restored the churches of Saint-Ruf and Saint-Géniès to the diocese of Avignon. At the end of the 9th century, Avignon suffered again by Muslim attacks.

After the division of Charlemagne´s empire, Avignon was owned jointly by the Count of Provence and the Count of Toulouse. In 1135 the rights were resigned to the local Bishops and Consuls.

At the end of the 12th century, Avignon declared itself an independent republic. When in 1226, the citizens refused to open the gates to King Louis VIII of France, the French besieged the Avignon and after it was captured forced it to pull down its ramparts .

In 1271, Philip III of France inherited Avignon and passed it to his son Philip the Fair in 1285. It passed in turn in 1290 to Charles II of Naples, who thereafter remained the lord of the city.

The University of Avignon was founded by Pope Boniface VIII in 1303 and was famed as a seat of legal studies, flourishing until the French Revolution.

In 1309 the city was chosen by Pope Clement V as his residence at the time of the Council of Vienne. Avignon, rather than Rome was the seat of the Papacy. Avignon became the Pontifical residence under Pope Clement V in 1309. His successor, John XXII made it the capital of Christianity and transformed his former episcopal palace into the primary Palace of the Popes.

Under the Papal rule, the Court seethed and attracted many painters, sculptors and musicians. The Gothic palace was the result, in its construction and ornamentation, of the joint work of the best French architects. The papal library in Avignon was the largest in Europe in the 14th century with 2,000 volumes.

Gregory XI decided to return to Rome. His death caused the Great Schism. Clement VII and Benedict XIII reigned again in Avignon. Overall it was nine popes who succeeded in the papal palace.

Avignon was a papal possession up to the French Revolution.

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The construction of the Palais, that is one of the largest medieval structures in Europe, began in 1252. The Palais was built in two phases with two distinct segments, known as the "Palais Vieux" and "Palais Neuf". By the time of its completion, it occupied an area of 11,000 m².

The Palais Vieux was constructed by Pierre Poisson of Mirepoix at the instruction of Pope Benedict XII. Benedict had the original episcopal palace razed and replaced with a much larger building centred on a cloister, heavily fortified against attackers. Under Popes Clement VI, Innocent VI and Urban V, the building was expanded to form what is now known as the Palais Neuf.


The Palais des Papes is the main attraction in Avignon, so tourists line up in front of the entrance. Seen to the left is the Romanesque cathedral "Notre Dame des Doms". The gilded statue of the Virgin was added in the 19th century.