World Heritage Identification Number: 228
World Heritage since: 1995
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇫🇷 France
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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The Historic Centre of Avignon: A Gothic Masterpiece and a Testament to Medieval Power
The Historic Centre of Avignon, located in the south of France, is a remarkable testament to the power and influence of the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, this city served as the seat of the papacy for nearly a century, leaving behind a rich architectural legacy that continues to captivate visitors today.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
In the 14th century, this city in the South of France was the seat of the papacy. The Palais des Papes, an austere-looking fortress lavishly decorated by Simone Martini and Matteo Giovanetti, dominates the city, the surrounding ramparts and the remains of a 12th-century bridge over the Rhone. Beneath this outstanding example of Gothic architecture, the Petit Palais and the Romanesque Cathedral of Notre-Dame-des-Doms complete an exceptional group of monuments that testify to the leading role played by Avignon in 14th-century Christian Europe.
Encyclopedia Record: Avignon
Avignon is the prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the commune had a population of 93,671 as of the census results of 2017, with about 16,000 living in the ancient town centre enclosed by its medieval walls. The Communauté d'agglomération du Grand Avignon, a cooperation structure of 16 communes, had 197,102 inhabitants in 2022.Additional Site Details
Area: 8.2 hectares
(ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
Coordinates: 43.95277778 , 4.806111111
Image
© Jean-Marc Rosier (de/from http://www.cjrosier.com + http://www.gordes-immobilier.com), CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
