Papal Palace at Avignon

One of the high points of our trip occurred today as we visited the Papal Palace at Avignon. As strange as it may seem, there was a time when there were as many as six different men, all claiming to be the rightful Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. The problem was that each of these men had the backing of one or more kings. This volatile recipe sparked the Hundred Years’ War, a conflict based on a complicated muddle of politics and religion. Though most of the furnishings of this place were destroyed in the religious wars and in the French Revolution, modern technology has produced some interesting graphic effects that bring these rooms to life. Any student of church history cannot miss seeing this fascinating place that combines palace with fortress.Read more