The Palais des Papes is probably the most famous building in the ancient city of Avignon. The building was constructed to house the break-away group of cardinals who disobeyed the rule of Rome in the 14th Century. An era known as the ‘great schism’, for a period of time there were two rival Popes, one in Avignon and one in Rome. This palace housed the Pope in exile and is an impressive medieval structure, open to the public all year round.
