Lower Chapel of the Chapel of Saint Nicholas at the Pont d’Avignon
I was surprised to see a chapel built in the middle of the Pont d’Avignon. I would not have expected that people back then would built on over here. I don’t think it was because of lack of space either. Regardless, the chapel was in continuous use until the bridge itself was abandoned. The chapel takes up a substantial part of the bridge so there is no missing it. Apparently, there was a time that the remains of Saint Benezet were buried here. It was eventually moved to the shore which is a bit more stable. That newer chapel ironically got washed away in a flood. The chapel of Saint Nicholas has stood the test of time and it is still on the bridge despite the bridge not being completed.
Bells at the Chapel of Saint Nicholas at the Pont d’Avignon
The chapel itself has two level both of which are accessible to visitors. There wasn’t much interesting stuff to see here. The upper chapel has a nice little enclosure for people would be praying. The lower chapel appears to be much older as it was dated to be at least from the 12th century. The upper chapel was added two centuries later. There was little to see here these days but the chapel serves as a great place to appreciate the river itself. It is now just a shadow of its former self now that the flow of the river is now controlled. It must have been a sight to see when the river was still its mighty self.
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