Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The basilica Saint-Pierre d'Avignon found its origins in the 7th century, where a first building was built and then destroyed by the Sarrazins. A reconstruction began under the impulse of Foulques II, with the first written mention of the church dating back to that time. The remains of this ancient period were replaced by the present building, the construction of which was initiated in 1358 thanks to Cardinal Pierre des Prés, who also financed the canonial buildings and a cloister today disappeared. Pope Innocent VI raised the church to the rank of collegiate in the 14th century, marking its religious importance.

In the 15th century, the nave was elongated and enriched with lateral chapels, while the parvis (1486) and the bell tower (1495) were added. The façade, completed in 1524 by Nicolas Gasc and Perrin Souquet after the plans of Philippe Garcin, is distinguished by its walnut doors carved by Antoine Volard (1551) and a Virgin to the Child attributed to Jean Péru. Inside, structured around six chapels, preserves retables and works of art from the 15th-17th centuries, including pieces by Nicolas Mignard, Simon de Châlons, and Guillaume Grève. As a historical monument since 1840, it was elevated to the rank of minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.

The architecture of the basilica illustrates Provencal Gothic, with a typical "Avignonnais" bell tower (square base, octagonal drum and hooked arrow) and a slender facade framed with turrets. His liturgical furniture, such as the golden woodwork of the choir (1670) or the 18th century altar, bears witness to his artistic influence. The works exhibited, such as La Mise au tombeau (1431) or L-Adoration des herdeurs (circa 1550), reflect his role as conservatory of the Avignon religious heritage, linked to figures such as Antoine Le Moiturier, author of a retable disappeared from the 15th century.

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