Palais des Papes: A Gothic Fortress

Deep within its ramparts, Avignon is home to a medieval city and structure built over 800 years ago: The Palais des Papes, or Papal Palace, the largest Gothic construction of the Middle Ages. The work on the impressive building started in 1335 on a rocky outcrop to the northwest of the city by hundreds of workers, under the authority of the best French architects of the time, Pierre Peysson and Jean de Louvres. The majestic Palais des Papes houses exceptional frescoes, painted in 1343. Both fortress and palace, the Papal Palace is the symbol of the influence of the church on the Christian West during the 14th century.