Our visit to the city Nîmes was one of my favorite trips! It has such a rich history from the Roman times. Because of this Nîmes is known was French Rome. I fell in love with the charm and history of this city. During our visit we saw the three monumental sites in this city and I am excited to share them with you!
Roman Amphitheater
Our first visit was to the Roman Amphitheater. My first time seeing one was in Arles but this time we visited the inside. This amphitheater was built around 70 AD and it was a center for entertainment for the Roman citizens.
The amphitheater held events such as gladiator combats, animal slayings, and executions. They were a place for all the citizens to come together, the rich, the poor, and the slaves. During my visit I had an audio guide and was able to learn more about the history of these shows. The gladiator fights were more brutal than I thought! Also they would use these shows to execute prisoners in very graphic ways. While these executions would occur, citizens would take that time to go to the bathrooms but those who were rich would have their slaves stay in order to save their seats.
Now a days, the arena is used for annual bull fights!
Being inside the amphitheater was like being inside history. We climbed to the top where we were able to have a view of the city. I absolutely loved it! It's so amazing that these historic pieces have lasted through the test of time.
La Maison Carrée
After our visit to the amphitheater we took a short walk in the city to our next monument: La Maison Carrée. This historic building is in the middle of the lively city which I thought was so cool! This ancient building is one of the best pet Roman temples in world. A funny fact is that "la maison carrée" translates to square house, but this building is actually a rectangle.
The architecture was really amazing. I love the tall columns and the designs on the ceiling. The inside was transformed into a small theatre where we were shown a short film about the Roman history of Nîmes. Nîmes was one of the richest and most defended city in the Roman Empire.
Do you like roman architecture ?
Tour Magne
The "Tour Magne" translates to the Great Tower. It was the final monument on our visit. This tower is the only remaining piece of the ancient Augustan fortifications. It was built around 15-16 BC. The tower overlooks the city and in the Roman times it used to protect the city.
Once we went inside the tower we had to climb up what seemed like a never-ending set of stairs to reach the top. But as always, the climb was worth it! From the top, we could see the whole city and we could even see the amphitheater.
The view was breathtaking.
The Jardins de la Fontaine
On our walk back to the train station, we walked into the Jardin de la Fontaine which was the MOST beautiful garden/park I have ever seen. There was beautiful architecture and a large fountain in the middle with white swans.
All around people were relaxing, if I had a garden like that near me I would be there all the time. Some people were even feeding the swans.
Relaxing in the garden
The beautiful architecture
Nîmes is such a beautiful city that has such a rich history. This city is one that I would love to go back to so that I could explore more sites. I'm sure there's more to see than what I saw in one day. I hope you liked all the pictures!
xoxo,
Kye