Nestled into wooded hills on the broad curves of the Rhone River, Avignon is a pleasant little city, great for strolling down cobblestone streets enclosed by medieval walls. Today it is home to fewer than 100,000 people, though it was once the absolute center of the universe for a large portion of the Western world. The greatest testament to that legacy of political and religious power still stands in the heart of town. “This is still the largest Gothic palace in Europe,” a guide pointed out, as I took in the grandeur, and sheer size of the Palais des Papes, more than 160,000 square feet in total, although only a third is open to the public. Papal History Here, the Catholic Church held six papal conclaves, the grand gathering where the Church’s leadership elevates its new Pope from among its ranks. These buildings were home to seven popes and served …
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