Both fortress and sumptuous residence of the Middle Ages, the imposing silhouette of the Palace of the Popes at Avignon rises up above the city... Classified a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1995, it is the largest Gothic palace in Europe and one of the most visited monuments in France.

The « old palace » of Benedict XII and the « new palace » of Clement VI were essentially both built in less than twenty years. The palace was continuously enlarged and enhanced throughout the fourteenth century, according to the tastes of successive reigning Popes. This book brings out the personalities of the Pontiffs, presents the chronology and organisation of this construction site - one of the most expensive of its time - and analyses the exceptional architecture at the service of the power of the Papal court. After the Popes returned to Rome, the palace suffered long periods of alteration, followed by progressive deterioration. It was only in the early twentieth century that its restoration was begun, with a view to opening the palace to the public.

The history and life of the Palace of the Popes are presented here in a synthesis work tracing its evolution over the centuries. The rich illustration and use of spectacular 3D images bring to life the place that was the seat of western Christianity for more than a century.