Dominican Church

Right at the end of this dead-end street, you’ll find the disused Church of the Friars Preachers. It’s a 15th-century Gothic church. The Dominican order had originally settled outside the city walls. However, as their movement gained momentum, they decided to build a real showstopper of a church. It overlooked the Rhone River and it welcomed worshippers for centuries until the French Revolution. Then it got sold off in parcels used as garages and warehouses. Eventually, the municipality bought them all back and secured the building. Today, thanks to the successful restoration of its beautiful interior spaces, the church is a venue for cultural events. It notably hosts the famous Rencontres de la Photographie d’Arles, an annual summer photography festival.