Palais des Papes, Avignon
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Palais des Papes, Avignon - by Jean-Marc Rosier (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Description
The Palace of the Popes (Palais des Papes) is located in Avignon and is Europe's largest medieval Gothic building (15,000sqm of floor space). It was built in the 13th century and became the residence of the Popes in 1309 during the Avignon Papacy that lasted until 1376 and then by the antipopes Clement VII and Benedict XIII until 1403. It actually consists of two buildings: the original palace and the new one built under Pope Clement VI with artistic contribution by students from the School of Siena (Italy). After that period, it remained under papal control but slowly lost it glory and was sacked during the French Revolution in 1789-91. The complex was then used as military barracks and turned into a museum at the start of the 20th century.
Access & Transport
The Palace is easy to spot in the center of Avignon, 200m south of the Rhone river and the Pont Saint Benezet, and 1km north of the train station. Avignon is 45km northeast of Nîmes (A9/N100), 100km northwest of Marseille on the A7 and 220km south of Lyon on the A7. There are also trains to those cities but the High-Speed train (TGV) station is 4km from the historic center of town. Note that due to the substantial number of steps, the visit of the monument is not accessible to people with reduced mobility.
Instructions & Recommendations
We suggest combining this activity with a visit of the Palace Gardens and/or the Pont Saint Benezet (best known as the Pont d'Avignon) and an exploration of the town of Avignon.
Environmental & Social
We deem this activity marginally negative from an environmental perspective (heating/lighting). Preserves the town's cultural and architectural heritage.
Conclusion
The Palais des Papes is an arresting sight and dominates the skyline of the historical center of Avignon. The interior is however not of the same calibre (it probably was, in the 14th century) and, considering the rather expensive ticket price, we are a little on the fence as to whether it is worth it. Let's say it probably depends on how many monuments are already included in your itinerary, whether you are pressed for time, and whether learning more about the Avignon Papacy is of personal interest.
Key positive
Interesting background history
Imposing edifice(s)
Key negative
Lack of furnishing and decoration inside
Entrance fee is a little expensive
Suitability
Suitable for all ages but best for children aged 10 and above. Not accessible for visitors with reduced mobility because of the many flights of stairs
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
June 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 20m
est. visit time:1h 30m
Start of Season 1:Mar, 01
MONDAY09:00 - 19:00
TUESDAY09:00 - 19:00
WEDNESDAY09:00 - 19:00
THURSDAY09:00 - 19:00
FRIDAY09:00 - 19:00
SATURDAY09:00 - 19:00
SUNDAY09:00 - 19:00
Start of Season 2:Nov, 04
MONDAY10:00 - 17:00
TUESDAY10:00 - 17:00
WEDNESDAY10:00 - 17:00
THURSDAY10:00 - 17:00
FRIDAY10:00 - 17:00
SATURDAY10:00 - 17:00
SUNDAY10:00 - 17:00