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The Palace of the Popes in Avignon, France is the world’s largest Gothic building. Constructed over 600 years ago, this remarkable palace ranks among the 10 most-popular sites in all of France with nearly 700,000 visitors per year.
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Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, powerfully built like a castle on the outside, on the interior, a sumptuous palace.
It was built as a home for the Popes because during the 14th century the Popes left the Vatican in Rome where they had always ruled from and relocated to Avignon here in France staying for nearly 100 years making this the most important center of power in Europe for a century, the city's Golden Period during which great mansions were built. Money flowed in, the wall was constructed around the town for protection. They created a dazzling palace fitting to their high position of authority and wealth filled with the finest furniture and artworks creating a massive structure 15,000 square meters in area, about four times bigger than the typical Gothic cathedral.
Then walk a few minutes north from the Place du Palais into a lovely public park called the Roche des Doms, resting on the top of a small hill overlooking the Old Town. From the ramparts take in the beautiful views across the rooftops of the city and across the Rhône River. Coming down will bring you to the Pont St-Bénezet, Avignon's legendary bridge built in the late 12th century and another UNESCO World Heritage Site.
One of Avignon's major museums is an art museum, called the Musée Calvet and is located in the lower section of Rue Joseph Vernet. The museum is set in a magnificent 18th-century mansion with collections of fine art and decorative pieces from the 15th through 20th centuries. You’ll find excellent paintings in here representing most of the important phases of art history.