Palais des Papes: a Gothic Fortress

Deep within its ramparts, Avignon is home to a medieval city and structure built over 800 years ago- the Palais des Papes, or Papal Palace. Every year, over half a million people visit this majestic megastructure listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. To build the colossal edifice, architects had to invent new construction methods and builders had to work day and night to build this powerful symbol of the Church in the space of only twenty years.