Avignon Cathedral, Avignon, France

Avignon Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop. The cathedral is a Romanesque building, built primarily in the second half of the 12th century. The bell tower collapsed in 1405 and was rebuilt in 1425. In 1670-1672 the apse was rebuilt and extended.

The building was abandoned and allowed to deteriorate during the Revolution, but it was reconsecrated in 1822 and restored by the archbishop Célestin Dupont in 1835-1842. The most prominent feature of the cathedral is a gilded statue of the Virgin Mary atop the bell tower which was erected in 1859.

The interior contains many works of art. The most famous of these is the mausoleum of Pope John XXII (died 1334), a 14th-century Gothic carving. It was moved in 1759, damaged during the Revolution, and restored to its original position in 1840. The cathedral was listed as a Monument historique in 1840.

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User Reviews

Luka Mitrovic (5 months ago)
The beauty that most be visited if you are in Avignon.

Eddie Hilton (6 months ago)
Not very big, not amazing but still interesting.

Antonio Ferreira (9 months ago)
The church employee is very rude. He asked women with shorts (it was 35 degrees out) to leave, he asked people to remove hats impolitely and shooshed people who were speaking normally (not loudly) all in the span of the 5 minutes of my visit. He should be replaced, he is clearly way past retirement age...

Yair Bar Zohar (2 years ago)
An important building - Avignon Cathedral, which is the Archbishop's seat. Built in the 12th century, the cathedral is dedicated to Miriam, and is listed as a historical monument in 1840. If you are interested in architecture, you will see that the cathedral is distinctly Romanesque in style with some Greek and Roman influences. On the top of the cathedral bell tower you can see the statue of the Virgin Mary, created in 1859. If you wish, you can also enter and be impressed by the many spectacular works of art inside the cathedral, including three statues of the Virgin Mary. There are also some interesting landmarks within the cathedral, including Pope John Twenty-second and the Marble Throne, which the Pope used in the 12th century. Admission is free. Opening Hours: Daily 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The hours may vary according to religious ceremonies. How long should you visit? About half an hour.

Yahya TSB (2 years ago)
Superb. It still amazes me that Avignon was at some time the center of Catholic world during the Middle Ages, and this place being the center of it. Given the current grandeur of Vatican, truly this fact is astonishing.

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