Inside the Largest Gothic Palace in the World 🇫🇷 Palais des Papes, Avignon
Inside France’s Incredible Palace of the Popes.
7-Day French Road Trip Series – Exploring Avignon.
We stepped inside the largest Gothic palace in the world. 🇫🇷
During our road trip through southern France, one destination stood out immediately; Palais des Papes in the incredible medieval city of Avignon.
After exploring the famous Pont Saint-Bénézet, we walked through the ancient streets and towering stone walls of Avignon toward this UNESCO World Heritage Site and the scale of it was unbelievable.
Built during the 14th century when Avignon became the centre of the Catholic world, Palais des Papes once housed Popes, Cardinals, diplomats, and political leaders from across Europe. Today, visitors can explore enormous Gothic halls, ancient chapels, defensive towers, medieval courtyards, papal chambers, and panoramic viewpoints overlooking Avignon and the Rhône River.
This was one of the most incredible visits and we nearly didn’t have Palais des Papes on our agenda. The scale and history was more than worth the time and cost.
In this video we explore:
1. the largest Gothic palace in the world
2. Saint John’s Chapel dating back to 1338
3. the Consistoire assembly hall
4. medieval papal history
5. incredible rooftop and wall viewpoints
6. Notre-Dame des Doms Cathedral
7. the UNESCO-listed historic centre of Avignon
8. ancient halls and hidden chambers inside the palace
We also share the fascinating history behind the Avignon Papacy, when seven Popes ruled from Avignon instead of Rome during one of the most powerful periods in medieval European history.
If you are planning a France road trip, visiting Provence, or searching for hidden historic destinations in Europe, Avignon absolutely deserves a place on your itinerary.
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Palais des Papes – what you need to know!
Palais des Papes was constructed between 1335 and 1352 during the period known as the Avignon Papacy, when seven successive Popes ruled from Avignon instead of Rome. At the time, the palace symbolized the immense religious and political power of the Catholic Church across Europe. The building was designed both as a fortified fortress and a grand papal residence capable of defending against military threats while hosting royal courts, diplomats, bishops, and political leaders.
The palace covers approximately 15,000 square metres and remains one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic structures in Europe. Its massive defensive walls, towers, ceremonial halls, chapels, courtyards, and private papal apartments reveal the extraordinary wealth and influence of the Church during the 14th century. Some rooms once featured elaborate frescoes painted by leading Italian artists of the era, many of which still survive today.
Following the return of the papacy to Rome in 1377, the palace gradually lost political importance but continued serving military and administrative purposes over the centuries. During the French Revolution, sections of the palace suffered damage and were later used as barracks and prisons. Today, Palais des Papes stands as one of France’s most visited historic monuments and remains a remarkable symbol of medieval European history.
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