The largest Gothic palace!
John XXII – the first builder pope (1316–1334)
He moved into the episcopal residence next to the cathedral and transformed it into a papal palace. Nearby, he built an audience hall, of which only remnants in the Cour d’Honneur remain today.
The current Palais des Papes is mainly the work of the two popes who succeeded him: Benedict XII and Clement VI, who built the largest Gothic palace in under twenty years.
Benedict XII – creation of a papal palace (1335–1342)
Benedict XII entrusted the project to fellow countryman Pierre Poisson, architect from the County of Foix.
Firmly anchored on its rocky base, the building follows the layout of John XXII’s palace. Dominating the city with its imposing walls like a fortress, the Papal Tower was the central element — the heart of the papal apartments, protecting both the sacred person of the pope and the Church’s treasures.
It connected to the other buildings through two wings of private apartments.
Beyond these were the consistory wing, flanked by the chapel tower, along with the Trouillas, kitchen, and latrine towers.
Gardens were built below.
The consistory wing, the Guests’ wing, the Household wing, and the Chapel formed a quadrangle surrounding a courtyard.
Benedict XII had his palace richly decorated with furniture, tapestries, and mural paintings.
Clement VI – the new extensions (Opus Novum) (1342–1352)
From the beginning of his papacy, Clement VI completed the Trouillas Tower, added a new kitchen tower, and built the Wardrobe Tower, connected to the Papal Tower.
Later, architect Jean de Louvres from the Île-de-France region became master of works and supervised the major extensions, mobilizing an average of 600 workers despite the turmoil of the Hundred Years’ War and the Black Plague.
He first demolished the neighboring district and built his spectacular masterpiece: the Great Audience Hall, soon topped by the Great Chapel, flanked by the Grand Promenoir.
He then built the Grand Dignitaries’ Wing, enclosing a semi-public space and creating the Cour d’Honneur.
With Clement VI, elegant Gothic style entered the palace.
Ribbed vaults multiplied, and sculptures, carved brackets, and moldings adorned the stone.
He brought to his court the greatest intellects and artists of the time, including painter Mattéo Giovannetti, making Avignon a cultural center and a hub of European exchange.
He enhanced the palace with lavish decor — frescoes, stained glass, goldwork, furniture, and tapestries.
By the time of his death, most of the palace was complete. Later popes, including Innocent VI and Urban V, added more features such as the Saint-Laurent and Gâche towers, the conclave gallery, gardens, and the Roma area.
After the papacy returned to Rome
At the beginning of the 15th century, after the Great Schism and the reigns of Clement VII and Benedict XIII, the palace became the residence of legates and vice-legates until the French Revolution.
It was then converted into a barracks until its opening to the public in the early 20th century.
