Nimes …

Although some monuments no longer exist there are historical references that Nimes once had a basilica and a circus used for chariot races. 

Augustus Caesar built the Pont du Gard aqDSC_0484 (Medium)ueduct which brought water into the town of Nimes from the surrounding hills. This is the greatest surviving stretch of the fifty kilometre long aqueduct which was built by the Romans in the middle of the 1st century.

Though already a prosperous city on the Via Domitia (the main Roman road constructed in 118 BC DSC_0577 (Medium)which connected Italy to Spain), Nimes did well under Augustus Caesar’s rule. He encircled the city with a ring of ramparts and created its gates. Two gates into the city remain today, namely, the Porte d’’Auguste and the  Porte de France.  On the Porte d’Auguste one can still see the name of Caesar inscribed along the top in stone.

DSC_0806Enjoying a rich history from the Roman empire, the remains of several monuments are still evident today. The Roman Amphitheatre or Roman Coliseum from the first or second century AD is recognized as the best  preserved in France.  In its past it is said the walls of the coliseum protected medieval residents. With a two story facade and capacity for 20,000 spectators, the Coliseum is still in use today as a bull fighting and concert arena.

 

The Maison Carree or the square house, DSC_0650 (Medium)built circa      19 BC, is recognized for its solid design and proportions. It is reported to be one of the best preserved Roman temples anywhere.

The mid 17th DSC_0561 (Medium)century was a period of prosperity and population growth for Nimes. Following battles between Catholics and Protestants, the Cathedrale Notre Dame   et Saint Castor and the Saint Baudile were reconstructed and the first civic gardens   of France, the fountain gardens or the Quais de la Fontaine, were developed in 1738 around the Roman thermae ruins.

Following the revolutionary period, in the early 1800s order was restored, Nimes diversified   DSC_0591 (Medium)its industry and began to share in the region’s increasing wealth. 

Historically known for its textiles, denim derives its name from the City of Nimes.

 

 

Comments

  1. louiserunFebruary 10, 2010 at 5:06 PM

    I want to hear about the food you are eating, people you are meeting and the nuances that make this day memorable.

    ReplyDelete

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