and is of much older date than the Pope’s Palace. The porch of this
church (Fig. 47) is extremely interesting as an example of Provençal
architecture so strikingly ancient in character as to have been long
held to be a classic structure of the Lower Empire. It exactly resembles
a Roman design in its general idea, forming, as it were, a compartment
of a classic edifice, with a fluted Corinthian column at each side, and
an arched doorway or opening between. On the columns rests an
entablature, and the whole is crowned with a triangular pediment. The
Corinthian capitals, the cornices with egg and leaf enrichments, the
mouldings, imposts, &c., are all strikingly Roman in character. The
inner doorway to the church is similar. Mérimée points out that the size
of the stones used in this porch does not correspond with Roman work,
being smaller than Roman large work and larger than Roman small work.
Also that the stones of which the columns are composed are
[Illustration: FIG. 47. CHURCH OF NOTRE DAME DES DOMS AND PALACE OF THE
POPES, AVIGNON.]
wrought with tails bonded into the wall (alternating right and left),
which he regards as contrary to classic practice. The bull’s-eye of the
tympanum is also not Roman, but might be an addition. It is probable
that the sides of the porch were originally open.
The date of this porch has been the subject of much discussion; but it
seems most likely that it belongs to the early part of the eleventh
century. It was at that date that architecture began slowly to revive;
and this is probably one of the first efforts. Designers would then
naturally fall back on the classic forms, of which examples were
abundant around them. There are many instances in which the early
mediæval architecture can be traced to Roman structures found in their
vicinity. We have already met with one striking example at St
Paul-trois-Châteaux; and it was previously shewn how the gates of Autun
influenced the architecture of a large district, in which pilasters,
copied from those of the Porte d’Arroux, are universally used instead of
round shafts. We shall also presently see how the dome-topped campaniles
of Provence are also copied from Roman monuments, such as that at St
Remy; and how in almost all the churches throughout Provence Roman
columns, caps, cornices, mouldings, and enrichments are freely imitated.
But these imitations are generally incomplete, and invariably contain
defects or omissions, which shew that they are imperfect copies, and not
real Roman work. Such imperfections affect the details rather than the
general style. In the instance before us, it is stated that the cornice
of the antique part of the tower above the porch is copied exactly from
that of the attic of the Arch at Orange.
The interior of Notre Dame des Doms is an example of an early Provençal
church, but not a very favourable one, as it has been frequently altered
and added to. The choir is of 1671, and the lateral chapels are of the
fourteenth century, while Renaissance balconies in marble have been
added in front of the gallery, over the side aisles.
In the choir is a remarkable chair of the twelfth century, in white
marble, which was the seat of the Pope; and the tomb of John XXII. (Fig.
48), in one of the side chapels, is a fine specimen of the imported
Northern Gothic style.
The tower, partly destroyed in the fifteenth century, was repaired in
1430; and the colossal statue of the Virgin was added in 1859.
The walls of the interior were once decorated with frescoes by Simone
Memmi, but they are now almost obliterated; and the interior is so dark,
that the few fragments remaining cannot be seen.
[Illustration: FIG. 48.
MONUMENT OF POPE JOHN XXII.]
Originally the church consisted of a single nave, without aisles,
vaulted with a pointed barrel-vault, strengthened with transverse ribs
and internal buttresses, being, as above explained, one of the
arrangements common in Provence. The east end terminated with an apse,
the bay in front of which is vaulted in a remarkable manner. A dome is
frequently introduced in this position; but in the present instance,
owing to the width of the bay being small compared to the width of the
church, a square space on which to raise the dome could not readily be
obtained. To
[Illustration: FIG. 49. PLAN OF THE PALACE OF THE POPES, AVIGNON, from
Viollet-le-Duc’s _Dictionnaire_.]
accomplish this, successive arches are thrown across between the
transverse ribs, rising with the curve of the latter and advancing over
one another, till the central space becomes a square, on which a
lantern, with eight Roman-looking columns, is raised and supports an
octagonal dome above.
In the twelfth century the rock, on the summit of which stands the
Church of Notre Dame des Doms, was covered with habitations and gardens,
which were dominated by the ancient castles of the Podestà and the
Bishop. Pope Clement V., on his first arrival at Avignon, occupied the
Convent of the Dominicans; and John XXII., in 1316, lived in the
building which existed in his day where the Pope’s Palace now stands. In
1336 Benedict XII. demolished what his predecessors had erected, and
rebuilt the northern part of the existing Palace (Plan, Fig. 49--from
Viollet-le-Duc’s _Dictionnaire_), being the side next the Cathedral, on
a grand scale, from plans by the architect Pierre Obreri. His works
terminated at the “Tour de Trouillas,” or the great donjon (B) at the
N.-E. angle, and is marked by another immense tower (B) at the west end
of the range, called the “Tour de la Gache.”
The south face (E) of the northern courtyard, and the southern walls of
enceinte were constructed under Pope Clement VI. It was also he who
acquired the suzerainty of Avignon and the Comtat Venaissin from Queen
Jeanne in 1347.
The southern front of the palace was completed by Pope Innocent VI.,
including the great Chapel, or Consistorial Hall (G), a building about
170 feet long by 50 feet wide, roofed with pointed and groined vaulting.
The great tower (H) adjoining to the south contains the sacristy, &c.
Urban V. levelled the space which forms the _Cour d’honneur_ (D),
excavating the platform out of the solid rock. Owing to the slope of
the ground, this court is about one story lower than the older northern
court.
The same pontiff further erected the east wing, and added the seventh
tower, called the Tour des Anges. Gregory XI. left Avignon and returned
to Rome in 1376.
Avignon was thus occupied by the Popes from 1316 to 1376, or sixty
years, during which time there reigned six Popes. They were all Southern
Frenchmen, a circumstance which probably had considerable influence on
the style of the architecture, which is undoubtedly quite that of
Provence, and has small affinity with the style then in use in Italy,
notwithstanding that the name of the architect Obreri sounds somewhat
Italian. The construction, mouldings, vaults, and defences, are all in
the style of Southern French work, and do not recall Italian features.
The only Italian details are the paintings on the vaults and ceilings,
said to have been executed by Giotto and Simone Memmi. Of these there
are unfortunately only a few fragments left. The vault of the great
Consistorial Hall was completely painted, but the building having been
cut up into several floors in order to convert it into barracks (in
which occupation it still remains), the faded and damaged condition of
the paintings can well be conceived.
The Anti-Popes Clement VII. and Benedict XIII. occupied Avignon from
1379 to 1403. The latter was besieged in the palace by General Boucicaut
in 1398. The Pope fled, but the palace did not capitulate till 1411. The
buildings suffered severely from fires which occurred in 1378 and 1413.
The principal entrance to the palace is on the west side, and opens from
an esplanade which commands the surroundings, and was formerly divided
into several baileys or courts, with walls, towers and gates. The
entrance gateway was defended with two portcullises, with folding gates
and double machicolations. It had originally an advanced work in front,
which was replaced in the seventeenth century by a crenellated wall. The
appearance of the building, whether it be regarded externally or from
the courtyard, is grand and imposing from its vastness and height. The
towers and walls are, even in their present crippled condition, most
commanding from their magnitude, the former being about 150 feet in
height, while the walls rise to about 100 feet. On entering the great
courtyard (D), evidence presents itself of the difference in level
between it and the older northern court (C), in the rugged foundation on
which the south front of the latter stands, the rock having been cut
down, as above mentioned, to the level of the lower court. The frowning
machicolations of that side, which look somewhat out of place in a _Cour
d’honneur_, are explained when we remember that under Pope Benedict XII.
this formed the exterior of the south face of the palace, before the
south courtyard was added by Clement VI. and Innocent VI.
The most striking feature of the architectural details of the palace is
the machicolations of the parapet. These consist in long grooves opening
between the inside of the parapet and the external face of the walls,
the parapet being carried on pointed arches thrown between buttresses
which project at intervals (_see_ Fig. 47). This form of machicolation
(which we have already observed at Cruas) is much used in the southern
provinces, perhaps from the prevalence of such works in the churches,
most of which were fortified, and where the buttresses which existed for
other reasons, were found convenient, and were thus utilized. These long
machicolations have the advantage of allowing beams, and other lengthy
missiles to be thrown down on assailants; but the frequently recurring
broad buttresses or wall spaces, which have no defence immediately over
them, are a drawback.
In the North these long grooves are very rarely used; a continuous
series of machicolations between bold corbels being the form almost
invariably preferred. At Avignon the towers were crowned with the latter
kind of defences, as the relics of the broken corbels still shew.
The _Cour d’honneur_ communicates freely with every part of the
structure. To the right, on entering, is observed the arcade which
contains the great staircase leading in two flights to the principal
apartments on the first floor. Two posterns open from this courtyard,
and these are carefully masked in the re-entering angles by buttresses,
and defended with a portcullis. A staircase also leads to the upper
courtyard.
The most ancient part of the palace is the Tour de Trouillas, at the
north-east angle, an immense mass which towers above all the other works
and formed the Keep.
The Pope’s apartments in the time of Urban V. were on the first floor of
the buildings surrounding the _Cour d’honneur_. From the landing of the
great staircase, which gave access to the principal apartments, passages
were carried round the building in the thickness of the wall next the
courtyard. These were carefully constructed and finished with pointed
and groined vaults. They communicated with the various rooms, and also
with several staircases which connected the different floors, and led to
the defences on the roof. The apartments of the south court were also
joined to those of the north court by these passages. The great kitchen
was situated on the first floor of the building next the keep. It has a
high pyramidal vault, which gives it a mysterious look, and perhaps led
to its being long regarded as the chamber of torture and hall of
execution of the Inquisitors. The banqueting hall was in the north
court, near the kitchen and the keep. The smaller tower (M) in the
centre of the east flank (now called the Salle de la Justice) contains
in two floors some admirable paintings of the fourteenth and fifteenth
centuries, which are in a fair state of preservation.
The entire building is of the most massive masonry--the whole of the
basement being vaulted and constructed so as to defy destruction.
Commencing with the great keep at the north-east angle, and proceeding
round the palace by the west, south, and east, the towers occur in the
following order:--north-east--Tour de Trouillas; north-west--Tour de la
Gache, followed by the Tour de St Jean, Tour de St Laurent, Tour de la
Cloche, Tour des Anges, Tour d’Estrapade.
One circumstance specially noticeable about the design of the palace of
the Popes is the entire absence of effort after symmetry in the
elevations, such as is generally aimed at in the case of the large
palaces or halls of the late Gothic and Renaissance periods. Here the
various blocks of building are simply placed where they are required,
and the different levels and irregularities of the ground are made
available in the most natural and convenient manner, with the result
that the effect is delightfully varied and impressive from every point
of view, and at every turning.[A]
The rock on the north side is almost perpendicular, but here also the
access had a defence called the Tour St Martin, which is now removed.
From this point slopes led down to the gate of the châtelet which
protected the bridge over the Rhone.
The walls, with their gateways, which still encircle Avignon, were
erected between 1348 and 1364 during the residence of the Popes in the
city. These walls (Fig. 50.) do not represent a very important defensive
work, even for the time when erected; they are neither sufficiently high
nor are the towers of suitable construction for a really strong
enceinte. They are rather an outwork in front of the palace, which was
itself a citadel of impregnable strength.
[Illustration: FIG. 50. PORTION OF CITY WALL, AVIGNON. _West side._]
At Avignon, as in the South generally, and also in Italy the towers are
square, and they are constructed with the side next the town left open,
so that in case of being taken by an enemy they could not be held
against the inhabitants. They are not built, as the towers on the walls
of enceinte of the great castles were, of size and strength enough to
stand an independent siege.
The large square towers occur at pretty wide intervals, and intermediate
smaller turrets are occasionally introduced to strengthen the curtains
between them. These are composed of two plain buttresses with a pointed
arch thrown across between them near the parapet, behind which there is
a long machicolation on the same principle as those of the Palace.
At the base of the wall, and between these buttresses, a bold slope or
talus is introduced, with the double object of thickening the wall at a
point where it might be attacked by sap, and also to intercept any stone
balls or other projectiles thrown from the machicolation, and cause them
to ricochet obliquely against “cats” or other engines brought up to
assail the wall. The talus would of course be designed in every case of
such a slope as might be best suited for defence, according to the
nature of the lower part of the fortifications, whether a ditch or a
rocky escarpment. The walls of Avignon were entirely surrounded with a
wet ditch above 20 yards wide, and 15 feet deep below the crest of the
counter-scarp. The ditch was supplied with water from the Rhone, the
Sorgue, and branches of the Durance. Of the two last rivers the former
joins the Rhone above and the latter below Avignon. The bottom of the
ditch was paved to enable the sludge to be cleaned out. The ditches have
now been completely filled up, and the spaces outside the walls
converted into a public promenade.
The towers, as above remarked, are for the most part of the square form
generally adopted in the South, as distinguished from the round form
which was usually employed in the North. The latter was considered
safer, from its not presenting, like the square towers, any flat surface
unprotected by the adjoining curtains against which miners could operate
in comparative safety.
The parapet is carried on very bold corbels of four and five courses in
height, with pointed arches between them. The corbels at the angles
being set diagonally, have a rather greater projection than those at
right angles to the wall, and have therefore an additional course in the
height. The arches adjoining the angles would naturally be wider than
those on the faces, but to obviate this the corbels next the angle ones
are slightly inclined towards them, so as to equalise the width of the
openings. This is the general rule in all square towers of this
description.
The gates of the town are simple arched passages passing through square
towers, being a type of gateway of frequent occurrence in the South.
They are not protected with flanking towers or angle turrets, such as
are invariably employed for greater security in the North. The
gate-towers were defended with châtelets on the outer side of the fosse.
Of these, the “Porte St Lazare” on the north-east side of the town is
the best preserved. This had a forework attached to the gateway which
protected the drawbridge. The latter descended on a landing which formed
a detached square barbican, fortified with a parapet and angle turrets,
and surrounded with a ditch. From this outwork another drawbridge in one
of the sides, and therefore at right angles to the main gateway, gave
access to the exterior roadway. This gateway was destroyed by an
inundation of the Durance in 1358, and was reconstructed in 1364 by
Pierre Obreri, the architect of the Papal Palace.
The gateways of Provence, such as those of Orange and Marseilles, were
usually similar in design to those of Avignon. At Carpentras and Aigues
Mortes examples still exist of gateways pierced in square towers without
flanking towers or turrets.
PONT ST BÉNEZET.--The two opposite banks of the Rhone were generally in
ancient times in the hands of different superiors. Thus, in the
fourteenth century, while the Comtat Venaissin on the east belonged to
the Popes, the opposite side of the river formed part of the kingdom of
France. In order to protect the different domains castles were erected
at both ends of the bridge which connected them.
[Illustration: FIG. 51. PONT ST BÉNEZET AND CHAPEL OF ST NICHOLAS,
AVIGNON.]
The bridge of St Bénezet (Fig. 51), which united Provence with the west
side of the Rhone opposite Avignon, is said to have been built by Petit
Benôit, a shepherd of the Vivarais, who believed himself inspired with a
mission to carry out this great project. Benôit became the chief of a
society of “hospitaliers,” instituted in the twelfth century for the
purpose of building bridges, establishing ferries, and assisting
travellers. He had already constructed a bridge at Maupas, when in 1178
he instigated the great undertaking of bridging the Rhone opposite
Avignon. This he began in 1178 and finished in 1188. The bridge was
almost 1000 yards long, and the roadway is about 16 feet wide including
the parapets. Like the Pont St Esprit it forms an obtuse angle against
the stream, and the centre rests on a flat island in the middle of the
river. There were 18 arches in all, including those on the island. The
piers are of a long low form, and their sharp beaks project a
considerable way up and down the river beyond the bridge, giving the
whole, as seen from the heights of the Rocher des Doms, very much the
appearance of a bridge of boats. The alternate piers seem to have had
recesses for allowing vehicles to pass, and all had archways above the
level of the beaks to allow the passage of the flood waters of the Rhone
which are sometimes excessive. The arches are slightly elliptical, or
egg-shaped, which renders them stronger at the apex than the semicircle
would be. They are constructed with four rings of arch stones in the
width of the bridge, formed with carefully cut voussoirs--each ring
being separate from, but placed close alongside of, the others. This
idea was probably derived from the system adopted in the Roman Pont du
Gard (as above explained), which is not far distant.
The bridge was cut for defensive purposes in 1395, during the siege of
Avignon. It was probably thereafter imperfectly repaired, and in 1602
three of the arches fell; in 1633 two other arches gave way, and in 1670
two more. It is now reduced to the three arches adjoining the châtelet
on the side next the town.
On the pier nearest the land still stands a picturesque chapel dedicated
to St Nicholas (Fig. 51). The floor of this chapel being on the level of
the top of the pier was considerably below that of the roadway of the
bridge; but the building was so contrived that passengers on the bridge
could see down through an arcade into the interior. Access to the chapel
was provided by steps corbelled out on one side of the bridge. At a
later period the structure has been raised and modernised.
[Illustration: FIG. 52. TOWER OF VILLENEUVE.]
The passage of the bridge was defended on the right bank by the TOWER OF
VILLENEUVE, (Fig. 52), erected in 1307 by Philippe le Bel, under his
architect Rodolphe de Meruel.
Like most of the work of this period, the walls are faced with stones
square-dressed, but with the surface left rough. The tower is finished
with the usual bold corbelling, machicolations, and angle bartizans, and
is surmounted by a lofty watch-turret. It will be observed that the
style of this French tower is that of the North, and differs materially
from the towers of Avignon above described.
[Illustration: FIG. 53. ORATORY IN CASTLE OF ST ANDRÉ.]
In order more completely to protect this part of his domains, Philip
constructed, in the end of the thirteenth century, the important
fortress of ST ANDRÉ, immediately opposite Avignon, and close to the
small town of Villeneuve-lez-Avignon. This citadel enclosed a large
space occupying the summit of a rocky hill, and comprised numerous
buildings, including a monastery. The extent of the fortress may be
conceived, when it is noticed that enclosed within the walls, in
different parts of the large space of vacant ground, may still be seen a
convent, with its gardens, and a small town. A portion of the more
ancient buildings still survives in the form of a small oratory (Fig.
53) of the twelfth century, with polygonal apse, having a circular
arcade, and a cornice containing modillions after the classic manner.
This great castle had but one gate, which opened to the southwards, on
the only accessible side of the site. That gateway (Fig. 54) is a
splendid specimen of military architecture, having a vaulted archway 13
feet in width, with finely moulded jambs and arches (Fig. 56). On either
side is a large round tower, crowned with a machicolated parapet (Fig.
55). The vaulted passage through the gatehouse was defended at each end
with a portcullis and folding gates. The apartments in the towers with
round fronts, are large and finely vaulted with pointed groins, and the
floors are all paved. The platform on the top is also of pavement
resting on the vault below. The whole building is thus put out of danger
from fire.
[Illustration: FIG. 54. CASTLE OF ST ANDRÉ, VILLENEUVE-LEZ-AVIGNON.
_Plan of Entrance Gateway._]
[Illustration: FIG. 55. CASTLE OF ST ANDRÉ, VILLENEUVE-LEZ-AVIGNON.
_Exterior of Gateway._]
[Illustration: FIG. 56. CASTLE OF ST ANDRÉ. _Interior of Gateway._]
[Illustration: FIG. 57. CASTLE OF ST ANDRÉ. _Fireplace in Gatehouse._]
Over the central gateway, and above the towers, rises a large square
turret, which was also vaulted and flagged on the top, and provided with
a machicolated parapet. This platform, as well as those over the towers,
were thus well adapted to receive the large catapults, mangonels, and
other military engines in use in the fourteenth century. The diagonal
walls which fill up the angles next the walls of enceinte contained
staircases, &c., and are set at an angle so as to present a front
against assailants approaching from the flanks. The round wells of the
staircases were continued above the roof with round enclosures, which
were visible above the parapet in the form of crenellated turrets.
[Illustration: FIG. 58. CASTLE OF ST ANDRÉ. _Walls of Enceinte._]