ROUGH DRAFT VATICAN
PALAIS DE PAPES
AVIGNON, FRANCE
I was 16 when ‘Return of the King’, the third installment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, was released in theaters. The massive action scenes, intricate set pieces, the sheer scale of what was presented on screen was enough to melt my feeble teenage brain. In the movie’s, our heroes find themselves in the cliffside city of Minas Tirith. Built entirely out of the shoulder of a mountain, its size and presence dwarfs everything within the world of Middle Earth, confirming nothing like it could possibly exist within the hobbit-less world we live in. Another 16 years would pass before i would realize that such grand structures do exist, when I visited Avignon and laid my eyes on the Palace of the Popes for the very first time.
Rising from the Northwest corner of the fortress city of Avignon, France, this monolithic monument to papal authority looms over anything and everything that sits within the city’s preserved ramparts. Tolkien-esque comparisons aside, what’s even more impressive is that this monster was constructed in the 13th century. By today’s architectural standards, it would be similar to building the Sydney Opera House but only using medieval methods and materials. Building the largest medieval gothic building in Europe, tallying up to over 160,000 square feet is no simple feat. While the ornate trimmings that once lined its halls and rooms may be gone, the raw austerity of its presence and accomplishment is on full display at first glance.
Once you pick your jaw off the floor, the palace’s history is something worth studying while you tour it’s stunningly massive halls and towers. Constructed as the newly ordained church headquarters in the 14th century, when the Pope Clement V was forced to flee Rome. Taking a closer look, its design begins to make sense as you dive into its history. Back when the Catholic Church operated as more of an independent sovereign state, complete with a vast collection of taxed territories and even it’s own army, it’s leaders required a home that had the quality of stone cold fortress stronghold, less so the gilded cage look of today’s Vatican. Granted, that world renowned ‘more money than God’ opulence still existed if only on a slightly more subdued scale. The fortress design of both the city and this newly minted base of operations, served 9ish Popes (google “Papal Schism” for more pope shenanigans) over its century-long tenure as Papal residence. Even though the church made its way back to Rome in 1376, the Palace of the Popes serves as a monument to human ingenuity and just how impactful those guys in the silly robes were in their hay day.
A few details…
Tickets: €12 including and interactive histopad guide.
Part of the palace operates an art gallery, rotating through a variety of exhibitions and artists.
While you’re visiting be sure to check out Pont d'Avignon, a medieval bridge located at the northern edge of the palace.
Hours
10am-5pm
(last entrance 1 hour before close), mask required
Address
Place du Palais
84000 Avignon
France
