Notre Dame des Doms (12th century),Ministry of Culture, Mérimée the cathedral is a Romanesque building, mainly built during the 12th century; the most prominent feature of the cathedral is the 19th century gilded statue of the Virgin which surmounts the western tower. The mausoleum of Pope John XXII (1334), within the cathedral, is a noteworthy example of 14th-century Gothic carving.Ministry of Culture, Palissy ("Papal Palace") (14th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée almost dwarfs the cathedral. The palace is a monument and sits within a square of the same name. The palace was begun in 1316 by John XXII and continued by succeeding popes through the 14th century, until 1370 when it was finished. Minor churches of the town include three built in the Gothic architectural style: Church of Saint-Pierre (14th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée which has a graceful façade and richly carved doors; Church of Saint-Didier (14th century);Ministry of Culture, Mérimée and Church of Saint-Agricol (14th century).Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Other religious buildings: Church of Saint-Symphorien (14th century, former Carmelite monastery church). Church of Montfavet (14th century). Chapel of the Oratory. Chapel of the White penitents (16th century). Chapel of the Grey penitents (18th century). Chapel of the Black penitents. Synagogue (19th century). Civic buildings are represented most notably by: The Hôtel de Ville (city hall) (1846),Ministry of Culture, Mérimée a relatively modern building with a bell tower from the 14th century, The old Hôtel des Monnaies,Ministry of Culture, Mérimée the papal mint which was built in 1610 and became a music-school. Hospital Sainte-Marthe. Hotel of Saint-Priest (Hotel de Monery, 18th century). House of King René (15th century). The city walls,Ministry of Culture, Mérimée built by the popes in the 14th century and still encircle Avignon. They are one of the finest examples of medieval fortification in existence. The walls are of great strength and are surmounted by machicolated battlements flanked at intervals by 39 massive towers and pierced by several gateways, three of which date from the 14th century. The walls were restored under the direction of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. Bridges include: The Pont Saint-Bénézet, better known as the Pont d'Avignon and for the French song Sur le pont d'Avignon. Only four of the twenty one piers are left and the bridge ends mid-channel. On one of the piers stands the small Romanesque chapel of Saint-Bénézet. The Pont Édouard Daladier and the Pont de Royaume, which together span both channels of the Rhone leading to Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, thus replacing the Pont Saint-Bénézet The Pont de l'Europe, which provides a second road crossing over the Rhone. Two railway bridges over the Rhone, one carrying the conventional Paris–Marseille line and the other the LGV Méditerranée line Calvet Museum, so named after Esprit Calvet, a physician who in 1810 left his collections to the town. It has a large collection of paintings, metalwork and other objects. The library has over 140,000 volumes. The town has a Statue of Jean Althen, who migrated from Persia and in 1765 introduced the culture of the madder plant, which long formed the staple—and is still an important tool—of the local cloth trade in the area. Musée du Petit Palais (opened 1976) at the end of the square overlooked by the Palais des Papes, has an exceptional collection of Renaissance paintings of the Avignon school as well as from Italy, which reunites many "primitives" from the collection of Giampietro Campana. The Hotel d'Europe, one of the oldest hotels in France, in business since 1799. The Collection Lambert, houses contemporary art exhibitions The Musée Angladon exhibits the paintings of a private collector who created the museum Musée Lapidaire, with collections of archaeological and medieval sculptures from the Fondation Calvet in the old chapel of the Jesuit College. Musée Louis-Vouland Musée Requien Palais du RoureMinistry of Culture, Mérimée Les Halles is a large indoor market that offers fresh produce, meats, and fish along with a variety of other goods. The Place Pie is a small square near Place de l'Horloge where you can partake in an afternoon coffee on the outdoor terraces or enjoy a night on the town later in the evening as the square fills with young people. Note: the name of Pablo Picasso's 1907 painting Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (The Young Ladies of Avignon) is misleading; Picasso's models for this painting were in fact not women of the city of Avignon, but rather of the Carrer d'Avinyó (Avignon Street) in Barcelona.
Notre Dame des Doms (12th century),Ministry of Culture, Mérimée the cathedral is a Romanesque building, mainly built during the 12th century; the most prominent feature of the cathedral is the 19th century gilded statue of the Virgin which surmounts the western tower. The mausoleum of Pope John XXII (1334), within the cathedral, is a noteworthy example of 14th-century Gothic carving.Ministry of Culture, Palissy ("Papal Palace") (14th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée almost dwarfs the cathedral. The palace is a monument and sits within a square of the same name. The palace was begun in 1316 by John XXII and continued by succeeding popes through the 14th century, until 1370 when it was finished. Minor churches of the town include three built in the Gothic architectural style: Church of Saint-Pierre (14th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée which has a graceful façade and richly carved doors; Church of Saint-Didier (14th century);Ministry of Culture, Mérimée and Church of Saint-Agricol (14th century).Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Other religious buildings: Church of Saint-Symphorien (14th century, former Carmelite monastery church). Church of Montfavet (14th century). Chapel of the Oratory. Chapel of the White penitents (16th century). Chapel of the Grey penitents (18th century). Chapel of the Black penitents. Synagogue (19th century). Civic buildings are represented most notably by: The Hôtel de Ville (city hall) (1846),Ministry of Culture, Mérimée a relatively modern building with a bell tower from the 14th century, The old Hôtel des Monnaies,Ministry of Culture, Mérimée the papal mint which was built in 1610 and became a music-school. Hospital Sainte-Marthe. Hotel of Saint-Priest (Hotel de Monery, 18th century). House of King René (15th century). The city walls,Ministry of Culture, Mérimée built by the popes in the 14th century and still encircle Avignon. They are one of the finest examples of medieval fortification in existence. The walls are of great strength and are surmounted by machicolated battlements flanked at intervals by 39 massive towers and pierced by several gateways, three of which date from the 14th century. The walls were restored under the direction of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. Bridges include: The Pont Saint-Bénézet, better known as the Pont d'Avignon and for the French song Sur le pont d'Avignon. Only four of the twenty one piers are left and the bridge ends mid-channel. On one of the piers stands the small Romanesque chapel of Saint-Bénézet. The Pont Édouard Daladier and the Pont de Royaume, which together span both channels of the Rhone leading to Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, thus replacing the Pont Saint-Bénézet The Pont de l'Europe, which provides a second road crossing over the Rhone. Two railway bridges over the Rhone, one carrying the conventional Paris–Marseille line and the other the LGV Méditerranée line Calvet Museum, so named after Esprit Calvet, a physician who in 1810 left his collections to the town. It has a large collection of paintings, metalwork and other objects. The library has over 140,000 volumes. The town has a Statue of Jean Althen, who migrated from Persia and in 1765 introduced the culture of the madder plant, which long formed the staple—and is still an important tool—of the local cloth trade in the area. Musée du Petit Palais (opened 1976) at the end of the square overlooked by the Palais des Papes, has an exceptional collection of Renaissance paintings of the Avignon school as well as from Italy, which reunites many "primitives" from the collection of Giampietro Campana. The Hotel d'Europe, one of the oldest hotels in France, in business since 1799. The Collection Lambert, houses contemporary art exhibitions The Musée Angladon exhibits the paintings of a private collector who created the museum Musée Lapidaire, with collections of archaeological and medieval sculptures from the Fondation Calvet in the old chapel of the Jesuit College. Musée Louis-Vouland Musée Requien Palais du RoureMinistry of Culture, Mérimée Les Halles is a large indoor market that offers fresh produce, meats, and fish along with a variety of other goods. The Place Pie is a small square near Place de l'Horloge where you can partake in an afternoon coffee on the outdoor terraces or enjoy a night on the town later in the evening as the square fills with young people. Note: the name of Pablo Picasso's 1907 painting Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (The Young Ladies of Avignon) is misleading; Picasso's models for this painting were in fact not women of the city of Avignon, but rather of the Carrer d'Avinyó (Avignon Street) in Barcelona.