Poking Around the Pope’s Place

The next day we took the train to Avignon. Because of the unrest in Rome, Pope Clement V sought refuge in Avignon. For most of the 14th century, it was here that the popes resided. They build a huge heavily fortified palace. None of the furnishing exists and very few of the walls are preserved with their original decorative frescos. Nonetheless, it is still an imposing structure. 7 official popes governed from these stonewalls. It was during this time that the Catholic Church had two popes serving at one time, one in Rome and one in Avignon. In the end, things got ironed out and the papacy was returned to Rome.