Arles Roman Theatre, Arles, France

Arles Roman Theatre was built in the time of Augustus and. It had a capacity of seating for 8,000 on 33 tiers of steps. In the early Middle Ages the theater was used as a quarry, and with the material it provided the town wall was erected. Of the rear wall of the stage only a few stumps of pillars and two more or less complete columns remain. Since the theater is now used again during the summer it is protected on the outside by screens and the interior is somewhat spoiled by the necessary technical apparatus.

Most of the relics brought to light during excavation can be seen in the Arles Museum of Antiquity - the most important of these is the 'Venus of Arles', a representation of the goddess Diana, which was discovered near a fountain in 1651 and is now in the Louvre in Paris.

The Roman Theater has been listed as World Heritage Sites since 1981. Arles Roman Theater is now a monument to visit and a place of concerts and events.

References:

arles-guide.com

User Reviews

Phillipe Denny (16 months ago)
Wonderful Roman amphitheatre. Worth paying the money and going inside. Stunning concert arena. We had a guide to make the most of the experience. Lovely Sunny day. Combine it with a picnic

Jacob SungIn Hong (17 months ago)
This venue is so beautiful and you can see the ancient Roman. I'd like to see a concert here.

Paula Ulyatt (2 years ago)
Worth a visit rather than look through gates. Remains of lots of decorative stone in a variety of designs to view at the back.

Phillip Spencer (2 years ago)
Very nice Roman remains of the old theatre. Well worth a look. If you don't want to pay admission for a wander round then it is possible to view the overall structure from the outside in various places. It is great that this is still actively used for shows and is not just a museum piece!

Jeffrey Edison (2 years ago)
This place is a nice (short) visit but an incredible venue for a concert. Arrive early to grab good seats in the middle, in the first couple of rows (but NOT the first row), sit back and enjoy. With luck, you can grab something cold to drink at the Theater's bar.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Starmetal74

Historic Site of the week

Soave Castle

Soave castle was built in 934 to protect the area against the Hungarian invasions. It was remodelled by Cansignorio of the Scaliger family in the mid-1300s. in 1365 Cansignorio had the town walls erected and the Town hall was built in the same year.

The castle underwent various vicissitudes until, having lost its strategic importance, it was sold on the private market in 1596. In 1830 it was inherited by Giulio Camuzzoni who restored the manor and in particular the surroundings walls (with is twenty-four towers), the battlements and living-quarters.

Soave castle is a typical medieval military edifice, commanding the neighbourhood of the city from the Tenda Hill. It comprises a mastio (donjon) and three lines of walls forming three courts of different size. The outer line, with a gate and a draw bridge, is the most recent, built by the Venetians in the 15th century. It houses the remains of a small church from the 10th century.

The second and larger court, the first of the original castle, is called della Madonna for a fresco portraying St. Mary (1321). Another fresco is visible after the door leading to the inner court, and portrays a Scaliger soldier. The mastio is the most impressive feature of the castle. Bones found within showed it was used also as prison and place of torture.

The House called del Capitano (the Scaliger commander) houses Roman coins, weapons parts, medals and other ancient remains found during the most recent restoration. Adjacent is a bedroom with a 13th-century fresco with St. Mary and Madeleine and a dining room with medieval kitchenware. Another room houses the portraits of the most famous Scaliger figures: Mastino I, Cangrande, Cansignorio and Taddea da Carrara, wife of Mastino II; the portrait of Dante Alighieri testify an alleged sojourn of the poet in the castle.

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