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Le Cloître Benoît XII
(The Cloister Hall)

The Cloister is made up four buildings around a courtyard. The arches which descend onto unadorned solid pillars open onto a covered passage. The upper gallery lit by gemel windows provides a passage between different buildings, which all have crenellations and machicolations.

The Consistory Wing, on the East side, is the extension of the private apartments which you have just visited. It comprises two rooms built one above the other : the Consistory and the Grand Tinel or dining room.
In the South, an arched ceiling passage is built into the Guests’Wing, or Conclave Wing, and is protected by leaf doors at both ends with a room above them for operating the portcullises. The conclave wing has three storeys.




				Le Cloître Benoît XII (The Cloister Hall) The Cloister is made up four buildings around a courtyard. The arches which descend onto unadorned solid pillars open onto a covered passage. The upper gallery lit by gemel windows provides a passage between different buildings, which all have crenellations and machicolations. The Consistory Wing, on the East side, is the extension of the private apartments which you have just visited. It comprises two rooms built one above the other : the Consistory and the Grand Tinel or dining room. In the South, an arched ceiling passage is built into the Guests’Wing, or Conclave Wing, and is protected by leaf doors at both ends with a room above them for operating the portcullises. The conclave wing has three storeys.
				In the South, an arched ceiling passage is built into the Guests’Wing, or Conclave Wing, and is protected by leaf doors at both ends with a room above them for operating the portcullises. The conclave wing has three storeys. The ground floor with the upper gallery was for accommodating distinguished guests. This vast, 38-metre long room is divides by partition walls and was covered with tapestries and wall hangings. The ledgers of the Apostolic Chamber refer to this apartment as the «King’s Room», then, after Charles IV OF Bohemia stayed there, the «Emperor’s Room». The apartment was also used during conclaves. Above the guest apartments, near the kitchens, are the lodgings for the butlers and pantlers. These storekeepers were responsible for purchasing grain, baking bread, which was done off premises, and for the implements needed for setting the tables. The butlers were responsible for wine supplies and for purchasing wine. The Great Storeroom, underneath the accommodation, takes up the entire groud floor and was used as a wine cellar.
	Direct access Cour d'Honneur Consistoire Cloître Benoît XII Grand Tinel Chambre du Parement Chambre du Pape Salle de Jésus Chambre du Cerf Sacristie nord Sacristie sud Grande Chapelle Loggia Grand escalier Grande Audience Place du Palais des Papes Terrasse des Grands Dignitaires Virtual tour			On the West side, the Familiars Wing consists of two floors above the ground floor. On the North side, the wing is flanked by the Campane Tower and on the South side by a small campanile housing the silver bell which was rung to announce meals, the opening of Court of the Rotasessions and Consistory, audiences. Benedict XII’s papal chapel occupies the North Wing. The Church of Saint Stephen was converted to house it. Built on two storeys, it is typical of Palatine chapels. The «Lower», or «dark» chapel soon stopped being used for workship and was converted into a storeroom, whilst the Upper Chapel became the «Great Chapel». A stone staircaise, built onto the outside of the North gallery, was used to reach the upper level. At the western end of the gallery, a well built before the oldb Palace supplied water to the courtyard of the Cloister and the gardens located under the Consistory in the 14th c. Today the Familiars’ Wing and the chapel of Benedict XII are used by the District Archives, while the south wing is occuped by the convention centre. >>> next: le Grand Tinel