POTD: Palace of the Popes in Avignon

From 2022 10 24 Avignon

This photo-of-the-day is from Palais des Papes in Avignon, France. I'll let Wikipedia tell the story:

"It is one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. Once a fortress and palace, the papal residence was a seat of Western Christianity during the 14th century. Six papal conclaves were held in the Palais, leading to the elections of Benedict XII in 1334, Clement VI in 1342, Innocent VI in 1352, Urban V in 1362, Gregory XI in 1370 and Benedict XIII in 1394. Since 1995, the Palais des Papes has been classified, along with the historic center of Avignon, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for its outstanding architecture and historical importance for the Papacy."

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That's the cut-and-dried history, lots of names and dates. Imagine the intrigues that led the Roman Catholic Church to pack up and move from Rome to Avignon for the better part of a century. Imagine the politics involved in getting the Church to then move back to Rome, with popes and anti-popes challenging each other for supremacy for another century. High stakes drama.