Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hotel Pierre de Luxembourg was built in the 17th century on the site of the ancient delivery of Cardinal Montirac, where in 1387 Bishop Saint Peter of Luxembourg died. The present palace, baroque style, is inserted in the southern half of the gate tower of the palace of Cardinal Ceccano, modified to integrate a body of rear building. The medieval levels, initially 6 meters high, are reduced to 4.50 meters, and a large central staircase is added to redistribute spaces. The facade, sober and classic, consists of three spans of rectangular bays with discreet mouldings, surmounted by a cornice marking the separation between the second floor and the attic.

The monumental baroque door with a rounded pediment is off to the right. Inside, the large room on the ground floor keeps gilded gypsums (rums, fireplace, door top) decorated with cartridges, garlands and shells, under a French ceiling. The stairwell, covered with stuccos representing fruits and shells, once housed a central canvas replaced in 1875 by a painting by Léon Tessier (L The palace was split in two in the seventeenth century: the southern half, bought in 1663 by Madeleine de Fayn de Pérault, widow of the Baron de Boucoiran, was remodeled according to the plans of the agency La Valfenière.

The works were carried out by mason Georges Mangarel, an entrepreneur appointed to the Valfenière, under the supervision of François de Royers, who was present at the signing of the prize-made on 17 December 1663. In the 19th century, the ceiling was embellished by Tessier's painting. At the end of the 20th century, the hotel became the Pierre-de-Luxembourg museum, owned by the municipality. Ranked a Historical Monument in 1983, it bears witness to the architectural evolution between the Middle Ages and the classical era, mixing cardinalic heritage and baroque decor.

The building also illustrates the urban transformations of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, a city marked by the presence of the popes in Avignon in the 14th century. The reuse of medieval structures (such as the gate tower) for a private hotel reflects the constructive practices of the modern era, where social prestige was reflected in the renovation of old buildings. Today, the museum showcases this heritage through collections related to local history and Pierre de Luxembourg, a major spiritual figure.

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