Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

La Porte d'Avignon is a medieval vestige located in Cavaillon, in the Vaucluse, dating from the 14th century. It was one of the fortified entrances to the city and is one of the few preserved elements of the old ramparts. Its façade, originally Gothic, was rebuilt in the 18th century in a classical style, under the impetus of the major urban development works carried out by the bishop of Cavaillon. The door has a keyed mandorle and an entanglement decorated with triglyphs, while its papal weapons, formerly present, have disappeared.

In 1791, the door was the scene of violent clashes during an invasion, leaving traces of cannonades still visible today, especially on the door itself and the museum of the neighbouring Hotel-God. These events marked its long-term history, symbolizing the revolutionary tensions of the time.

In the mid-19th century, an upper part was added to the door, including a statue of the Virgin and a Latin inscription: "Poserunt me Custodem" ("We placed there as guardian"). This addition reflected a desire to reappropriate the monument symbolically and religiously. At the end of the 19th century, the door, threatened with destruction, was saved thanks to the intervention of Marie-Thérèse Jouve, a local figure committed to preserving the heritage.

The Porte d'Avignon was officially listed as historic monuments on 2 May 1927, recognizing its heritage value. Today, it belongs to the municipality of Cavaillon and bears witness to the architectural transformations and historical upheavals that marked the city, from the Middle Ages to the contemporary era.

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