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City of Avignon

Type Object Region Europe Time c. -100

Located on the left bank of the Rhône, Avignon was originally a Gallo-Roman town and in the Middle Ages became an important fortress and episcopal se…

Timeline

  1. c. -100–500Avignon · ProvenceKnown as Avenio in the Roman period, it was a transport node in the Rhône Valley, with remains of city walls and bridges laying the foundation for the later urban layout.
  2. 1309–1377Avignon · ProvenceClement V moved the papal curia to Avignon; the Palais des Papes and episcopal see were expanded, the city's population and ecclesiastical institutions surged, and it became one of the most important religious centers in Western Europe at the time.
  3. 1321–1330Avignon · ProvenceWith Pope John XXII on the throne, the Palais des Papes was built on a grand scale, the papal administration and canon law system operated, the city's status as the papal residence was secure, and envoys and scholars from various countries gathered there.
  4. 1378Avignon · ProvenceAfter the papal curia returned to Rome, Avignon remained papal territory and was later incorporated into France; the surviving walls and Palais des Papes became cultural heritage, and the city continued as a commercial and cultural node of the Rhône Valley.

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