Avignon (French pronunciation: ; Occitan: Avinhon in classical norm or Avignoun in Mistralian norm) is a French commune in sootheastren Fraunce in the depairtment o the Vaucluse bordered bi the left bank o the Rhône river. O the 94,787 inhabitants o the ceety on 1 Januar 2010, 12,000 live in the auncient toun centre surroondit bi its medieval ramparts.
Aften referred tae as the "Ceety o Papes" acause o the presence o papes an antipapes frae 1309 tae 1423 durin the Catholic schism, it is currently the lairgest ceety an caipital o the département o Vaucluse. This is ane o the few French ceeties tae hae preservit its ramparts, its historic centre, the palace o the popes, Rocher des Doms, an the brig o Avignon. It wis classifeed a Warld Heritage Steid bi UNESCO unner the criteria I, II an IV.
As a showcase o airts an cultur, the fame o its annual theatre festival, kent as the Festival o Avignon, haes far exceedit the French borders.
Internaitional relations
Twin touns – Sister ceeties
Avignon is twinned wi:
- Colchester, Unitit Kinrick
- Diourbel, Senegal
- Guanajuato, Mexico
- New Haven, Unitit States
- Siena, Italy
- Tarragona, Spain
- Tortosa, Spain
- Wetzlar, Germany
- Wichita, Unitit States
Freemit airtins
- Tourist office wabsteid Archived 2007-02-10 at the Wayback Machine
- Ceety council wabsteid Archived 2007-02-11 at the Wayback Machine
- Avignon theater festival wabsteid
