Avignon

In the 14th century, this city in the South of France was the seat of the papacy, not the Vatican in Rome. This was namely due to the political climate in Italy as well as the first pope of French origin being chosen in 1309. The Palais des Papes, a serious looking fortress lavishly decorated by Simone Martini and Matteo Giovanetti, dominates the city, the surrounding ramparts and the remains of a 12th-century bridge over the Rhone. The palace is claimed to be one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in Europe. The Petit Palais and the Romanesque Cathedral of Notre-Dame-des-Doms complete an exceptional group of monuments that testify to the leading role played by Avignon in 14th-century Christian Europe.

Palais de Papes housed seven successive popes. This lasted until 1377, when the papacy returned to Rome. At that time a Papal Schism occurred when two *ahem* Antipopes continued to reside in Avignon. The latter was imprisoned in the Palais de Papes for 5 years after a siege. Since that time the Palais de Papes was owned by the Vatican. That is until... Napoleonic France occupied it and used it as a military base.

During the Vatican's 350 year ownership the palace fell into disrepair and its time as a military base did it no favors. In 1906 it became a museum and has been under constant restoration ever since.Read more