Cathedrale Notre-Dame des Doms

Notre Dame des Doms d'Avignon Cathedral was built in 1150 on the site of a primitive church that no longer exists. It is the oldest landmark in the square of the Palace of the Popes. Its style is Provençal Romanesque, but the alterations have eroded the purity of its original line. The majestic Virgin Mary statue overlooking the bell tower was constructed in 1859.

The portico of the church is reminiscent of old Roman architecture. The preliminary designs of a fresco representing Christ Pan creator, created by painter Simone Martini, can still be seen above the door. The cathedral houses numerous works of art, including artworks by Nicolas Mignard and mobile objects, as well as Pope Benedict XII's tomb. Pope John XXII canonized Saint Thomas Aquinas at the church.

The cathedral incorporates Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque elements. The nave and porch are Romanesque, but the Gothic chapels and apes were reconstructed in Baroque style in 1672. The most recent refurbishment finished in 2016, found concealed 13th-century wall artwork and sculptures below a coating of lime.

When the bishop of Avignon was promoted to archbishop in 1475, the cathedral was elevated to the status of a metropolis. The Metropolis was dedicated as a Minor Basilica in 1854, and the statue of the Protector Virgin of Avignon was installed at its summit in 1859, during a period when Marian religion was prevalent. It is composed of gold lead and weighs 4.5 tons; it was re-gilded for the 2000 Great Jubilee. The Calvary was built in the middle of the nineteenth century on the square in front of the cathedral.