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Origin and history

Notre-Dame-des-Doms Cathedral in Avignon, built in the 12th century, is a jewel of Provencal Romanesque art. Located on the rock of the Doms, it overlooks the Rhône and the Palais des Papes, with which it forms an emblematic ensemble. Its bell tower, surmounted by a golden statue of the Virgin added in 1859, is visible for miles. Ranked a historical monument in 1840, it was promoted minor basilica in 1854 by Pope Pius IX.

The cathedral has undergone major transformations over the centuries. In the 14th century, under the pontificate of John XXII, a southern lateral chapel was built to house its tomb, while Simone Martini made frescoes for the porch. In 1403 during the siege of Avignon by the troops of Benedict XIII, the bell tower collapsed, destroying the medieval Baptistery. Lateral chapels were enlarged in the 17th and 18th centuries, with notable modifications such as the reconstruction of l-abside in 1671.

The interior houses artistic treasures, including a gold organ of the 19th century classified as a historical monument, and macabre frescoes of the 13th century among the oldest in Europe. The carillon, composed of 35 bells including a 6-ton bumblebee, is one of the most important in France. Piled during the Revolution, the cathedral was restored in the 19th century and reopened to worship in 1822. It remains a religious and cultural symbol, closely linked to the papal history of Avignon.

The cathedral group, attested as early as the 10th century, initially consisted of four buildings, including a baptistry and a cloister now missing. Archaeological remains, such as capitals preserved at the Calvet Museum, bear witness to its medieval past. The cathedral, the seat of the Archdiocese of Avignon since 1475, lost its status as a metropolis in 2002. Closed for renovation between 2014 and 2016, it continues to attract visitors through its papal architecture and history.

The cathedral's artistic representations, such as those of Antoine Rozen (1520) or Simone Martini, offer valuable evidence of its evolution. Its tympanum preserves sinopies of frescoes of the 14th century, now exposed to the Popes' Palace. The cathedral, with its restored organ and exceptional carillon, embodies both the religious heritage and the artistic heritage of Avignon, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site via the Palace of the Popes.

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