Arenes d'Arles (Arles Amphitheatre), Arles (must see)

The Arles Amphitheatre is one of the most impressive Roman monuments in southern France and a powerful symbol of the city’s ancient past. Built around 90 AD during the reign of Emperor Domitian, it was designed as a grand arena for gladiatorial games and public spectacles that entertained the population of Roman Arles, then known as Arelate. With an elliptical shape stretching over 130 meters in length and seating for more than 20,000 spectators, the amphitheatre reflected the city’s status and prosperity within the Roman Empire.

Over the centuries, its role changed significantly. Following the fall of Rome, the amphitheatre was fortified and transformed into a small defensive town complete with homes, shops, and even two chapels built within its walls. By the Middle Ages, more than 200 houses filled the interior, creating a bustling community protected by the original Roman towers. It was only in the 19th century, thanks to the efforts of preservationists including the writer Prosper Mérimée, that the houses were removed and restoration began to reclaim the monument’s ancient form.

Those restauration efforts were not in vain, as the arena still enthralls audiences with bullfighting events, plays and concerts to this day. Moreover, its stairways and upper tiers double as panoramic platforms which allow for prefect views of the city’s rooftops, the Rhône River, and the distant Alpilles hills. Fair enough — its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981 is more than deserved.