🏰 Historic Centre of Avignon: Papal Palace, Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge
UNESCO World Heritage Site — seat of the Papacy in medieval Europe
📌 Fast Facts
- Papal Palace served as seat of the Papacy from 1309 to 1377
- One of the largest and most important examples of Gothic architecture in Europe
- Episcopal Ensemble includes Notre-Dame-des-Doms Cathedral (12th century) and Petit Palais
- Avignon Bridge (Pont Saint-Bénézet) is a partially-ruined 12th-century medieval structure spanning the Rhône River
Avignon's historic centre comprises three interconnected monuments that document a pivotal period in European Church history and medieval architecture. The Papal Palace, built between 1309 and 1377, stands as the largest Gothic palace in Europe and marks the era when papal authority relocated from Rome. Adjoining it, the Episcopal Ensemble clusters religious and administrative buildings, while the famous Avignon Bridge, though reduced to a few remaining arches, remains an enduring symbol of ...