1907 Avignon Cathedral Notre-Dame des Doms France Postcard
About This Vintage Postcard
Dominate the Avignon skyline with this striking monochrome postcard featuring the Cathédrale Notre-Dame des Doms, a Romanesque masterpiece situated adjacent to the Palais des Papes. The most prominent feature of this 12th-century structure is the bell tower, famously topped in 1859 by a massive gilded lead statue of the Virgin Mary, which stands six meters tall and weighs 4,500 pounds. To the left, a large crucifix stands as a sentinel over the Montée des Canons, the historic ascent to the cathedral and the surrounding Rocher des Doms gardens. This scene captures the solemn architectural transition from the simple Provençal Romanesque base to the later additions that have made it a cornerstone of Avignon's UNESCO World Heritage status.
Details
Era: Divided Back (circa 1907–1915)
City: Avignon
State or Region: Vaucluse, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Country: France
Topic: Avignon Cathedral, Notre-Dame des Doms, Gilded Virgin Statue, Religious Architecture, French Landmarks
Condition: Uncirculated
Postage: None
Address Side: divided back
Orientation: Vertical (Portrait)
Artist / Photographer: Unknown (ND Phot series)
Publisher: Neurdein Frères, Paris (Trademark: ND)
Printer: Neurdein Frères
Print Type: Collotype
Additional Information
The "ND Phot." imprint identifies this as a product of Neurdein Frères, one of France's most prolific and prestigious postcard publishers during the Golden Age. The address side is a multilingual "Universal" style back, featuring the words for "Post Card" in nine different languages, including Russian Cyrillic (Открытое письмо), which was common for cards intended for international export. This specific card remains uncirculated, though it contains a small pencil notation on the bottom right of the address side. The gilded statue of the Virgin Mary on the tower, which shines brilliantly in the Mediterranean sun, was added to commemorate the city's religious history during the period when Avignon served as the seat of the Catholic Popes in the 14th century.
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