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Roman Sites in Arles, France | |
| Home of many Roman monuments, Arles recalls the colorful past of this region. | ||
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The Antique Theater and the Amphitheater are very close to each other in the center of Arles. The Amphitheater (les Arènes), built in the first century AD, could hold more than 20,000 spectators. You can climb around in the seats and get some great views of the Amphitheater and other parts of Arles. Below, a lone Roman out for a stroll?
The Amphitheater is still used today for corridas, or bull fights. Just wandering around it even when it's virtually empty gives a sense of the vast size. Allow your imagination to wander too and picture the ancient Romans crowded in there...or the modern visitors watching a bull fight. The nearby Antique Theater was built about a century earlier and is classical in form. It could seat about 10,000 people. Like the amphitheater, it is still used today for a variety of performances. A short walk away, near the banks of the Rhône River, you'll find the Thermes de Constantin, or Roman baths. These date from the 4th century AD and are quite large and well restored. The cold rooms, warm rooms, and hot rooms as all designated, and you can follow the progression through the baths. And of course, Roman Arles had a Forum, though ilttle remains of it today. Two Corinthian columns and a sign saying Place du Forum mark the spot. Today the lovely square is home to a variety of restaurants and hotels. On the other side of the Boulevard des Lices, behind the Tourist Information Office, is Les Alyscamps. Les Alyscamps was a Roman burial site, later converted to a Christian burial site. Today it is a tree-lined park where you can stroll among the sarcophagi. Along the river to the south of town is the Musée Départemental Arles Antique, where you can see additional Roman ruins from the area.
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Above, The Roman Theater of Arles.
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