Cloître des Carmes

The Cloître des Carmes is defined by its solitary, ruined bell tower that rises above the surrounding neighborhood of Avignon. Originally built in the fourteenth century for the Carmelite friars, the monastery thrived until the French Revolution. In seventeen ninety-one, officials sold the property and dismantled most of the structures for building materials. Only the Gothic bell tower remained standing, weathered by centuries of Mistral winds, while the peaceful courtyard now serves as an open public space for local theater festivals.