Palate of the Popes

The Palate of the Popes , with Avignon in France, is largest of Gothic constructions of the Moyen-âge.

Since 1995, the Palate of the Popes is classified, grouped with the historical center of Avignon, on the Liste of the world heritage of UNESCO, with the cultural criteria (I, II, iv).

Access

The palate of the popes of Avignon is located inside the old enclosure of ramparts of the city, near the Rhone.

Origin

Avignon becomes the residence of the popes in 1309, and the palate is built between 1335 and 1352 on a rock protuberance in the north of the city, overhanging the the Rhone, under the Pontificat S of Benoît XII and Clément VI.

The choice of this rock protuberance license with the originators to give height to the unit so as to make it more impressive and so that one can see it by far. It is thus visible top of the Alpilles (Rhone delta).

Structure

The Palate of the Popes contains Fresque S exceptional painted as of 1343 by important teams of painters come from all the Europe, directed by Matteo Giovanetti, originating in Viterbe. Clément VI entrusts to him the decoration of the Tower of the Wardrobe (Room of the Stag), then those of the Old Palate: vaults Saint-Martial and Midsummer's Day. In 1352, Matteo Giovanetti undertakes the decorations of the Great Audience.

The frescos are still preserved: the Fresque S of the Saint-Martial vault were restored in 2005. It is an exceptional unit which testifies to the artistic high-quality of the first school of Avignon.

Today

The Palate of the Popes in addition lodges an International Center of the Congresses which was created in 1976 within the monumental framework of the Palate of the Popes and, to date, accommodates a great number of demonstrations. It occupies two wings of the monument and was conceived for congresses, conferences, meetings from 10 to 550 people. It has 10 rooms of reception and work. The big rooms of prestige of Large Tinel and the Great Audience, located on the circuit of visit of the monument, are used in complement of the meeting rooms for the organization of the cocktails, dinners of official reception, exposures…

The Main courtyard of the Palate is since 1947, the place emblematic of the Festival of Avignon.

Lastly, the Departmental records of Vaucluse are they also lodged in part of the Palate, near to the Notre-Dame cathedral of Doms.

The palate in the media

An emission of " Of the roots and the wings " and a Television serial on the topic of the esotericism: the Prophecy of Avignon, were turned in the places in 2007.

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