Powerful presence
"In the big cities of the Roman Empire, the arena or the amphitheater was the place for the epic shows.
Symbol of a city's prestige, the amphitheaters always drew large crowds. The arena of Nîmes, along with the one in Arles and the Colosseum of Rome, is one of the most well preserved from the ancient past. After being the venue for the Roman games, it today hosts bullfights during the Féria.
The arena's shape is elliptical, 133 meters long and 101 meters wide with a height of 21 meters. Sixty arches cover each of the two levels and are surmounted by an attic. The central ring (69m by 38m) is encircled by 34 rows of seats that can accommodate 20,000 people. Beneath the seating, a network of concentric galleries lead to the different levels by way of 126 staircases."
"The amphitheater of Nîmes was built shortly after the Colosseum of Rome, with stone from two quarries near Nîmes. It incorporates the characteristics of the Flavian period: a façade with two levels of arcades, an attic, pilasters and Tuscan-style half-columns. It is the only Amphitheater which has preserved its attic. Pierced stones were placed at the top for poles on which were hung the velum, canvas canopies designed to provide shade from the sun."
Nîmes, Provence.
France, 2019
Powerful presence
"In the big cities of the Roman Empire, the arena or the amphitheater was the place for the epic shows.
Symbol of a city's prestige, the amphitheaters always drew large crowds. The arena of Nîmes, along with the one in Arles and the Colosseum of Rome, is one of the most well preserved from the ancient past. After being the venue for the Roman games, it today hosts bullfights during the Féria.
The arena's shape is elliptical, 133 meters long and 101 meters wide with a height of 21 meters. Sixty arches cover each of the two levels and are surmounted by an attic. The central ring (69m by 38m) is encircled by 34 rows of seats that can accommodate 20,000 people. Beneath the seating, a network of concentric galleries lead to the different levels by way of 126 staircases."
"The amphitheater of Nîmes was built shortly after the Colosseum of Rome, with stone from two quarries near Nîmes. It incorporates the characteristics of the Flavian period: a façade with two levels of arcades, an attic, pilasters and Tuscan-style half-columns. It is the only Amphitheater which has preserved its attic. Pierced stones were placed at the top for poles on which were hung the velum, canvas canopies designed to provide shade from the sun."
Nîmes, Provence.
France, 2019