Roman city in Southern France - Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments 164; Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France 868; Art of dry stone walling, knowledge and techniques 01393
What and Why
Arles is an ancient city which has a history of more than 2,500 years when it was a seaport under Phoenicia (Greek: Φοινίκη, Phoiníkē) along the Mediterranean Sea when the coastline was much closer than today. The Romans took over the city in the 1st century BCE due to its shipping strategic importance and became a prominent Roman city under Julius Caesar. With this strategic position, Arles prospered and built all sorts of Roman monumental buildings. The city reached its heydays during the 4th century CE under Constantine I (Latin: Valerius Constantinus) when the Roman Empire (Latin: Imperium Romanum) used this as a major navy headquarter for various military campaigns.
Arles is also one of the main routes of the Saint James' Way, Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France (French: Chemins de Compostelle en France). In fact the Arles Way (La Voie d'Arles) is the most popular pilgrimage routes amongst the many walking routes to Santiago de Compostela.
Toponymy
Arles derives its name from its old Latin form Arelate, which in turns derive from Celtic meaning 'on the marsh'.
See
Arles Amphitheatre (Arènes d'Arles)
While almost everyone knows of the famed Colosseum in Rome (Italian: Roma), this amphitheatre is actually no less famous and important. The Arles Amphitheatre (Arènes d'Arles) is a Roman amphitheatre built in 90 CE, slightly after the more famous counterpart, and seats more than 20,000 spectators. Naturally it was built for the brutal chariot races and those bloody combat amongst gladiators. The amphitheatre is extremely well preserved. The pronounced towers jutting out from the top are mediaeval add-ons.
After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century CE, the amphitheatre became a massive residential block and more than 200 houses were built inside the theatre, making it a real town inside the theatre. It was restored as a monument in the mid-19th century CE.
Today, it draws large crowds for bullfighting during the festival Feria d'Arles as well as plays and concerts in summer.
Classical Theatre (Théatre Antique d'Arles)
Eat t next to the amphitheatre, the Classical Theatre (Théatre Antique d'Arles) is a 1st-century Roman theatre built during the reign of Emperor Augustus. A smaller rectangular theatre to house the usual plays during Roman times.
Cryptoporticus
The cryptoporticus of Arles is a semi-subterranean gallery whose tunnel-like structure supports portico structures aboveground near the amphitheatre. The cryptoporticus was built during 1st century CE as a foundation for the forum, and served as slave barracks.
Church of Saint Trophime (Cathédrale Saint-Trophime)
One of the greatest and finest Romanesque church, the Church of Saint Trophime (Cathédrale Saint-Trophime) was built during the 12th century CE to honour the first bishop of Arles, Trophimus. The church holds one of the finest collections of post-Romanesque art inside the church
The cloister inside the church is highly revered in the architectural world apparently and was constructed from the 12th to the 13th century CE. All the pillars and columns of the cloisters are elaborately sculptured with biblical characters.
Plaza of the Republic (Place de la République)
The main city plaza with a famous obelisk constructed during Constantine II's (Latin: Claudius Constantinus) times.
Alyscamps
The Alyscamps is a large cemetery just outside the old city walls of Arles. Roman cities traditionally forbade burials within the city limits and hence it was therefore common for the roads immediately outside a city to be lined with tombs and graves, especially for the affluent citizens. Alyscamps had served as Arles's main burial ground for nearly 1,500 years and was one of the most famous necropoli of the ancient world.
One will never imagine that this ruin is closely related to one of the most visited avenues in the world. Alyscamps's name derives from its Latin name Elisii Campi, the equivalence of the famous name Champs-Élysées, or in English Elysium (Greek: Ἠλύσιον, Ēlýsion), the Greek concept of afterlife for the great and the good.
Barbegal
Barbegal is a Roman watermill complex a bit outside Arles in Fontvieille. The complex has been referred to as the 'greatest known concentration of mechanical power' in the ancient world as it provided all the hydraulic power for the mills of the flour-milling industry in Arles. Another example of dry-stone walling as blogged in Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert.
Eat and Drink
Arles sausage (Saucisson d'Arles)
The famous local food is the Arles sausage (saucisson d'Arles) which is traditionally made from donkey meat and is available in the open market.
While there is really nothing special in Arles to eat, there is a photospot restaurant there, in Café La Nuit, which is where one of Vincent Van Gogh's most famous paintings is depicted. Honestly the cafe, other than being famous and crowded for obvious reasons, is not up to its aloof standard and is nothing short of complaints from reviewers.
Getting There and Around
One can purchase a joint ticket to access all the above monuments at EUR 16€. All these sites, aside from those outside Arles are within a stone's throw of each other.
UNESCO Inscriptions
Arles is a good example of the adaptation of an ancient city to medieval European civilization. It has some impressive Roman monuments, of which the earliest – the arena, the Roman theatre and the cryptoporticus (subterranean galleries) – date back to the 1st century B.C. During the 4th century Arles experienced a second golden age, as attested by the baths of Constantine and the necropolis of Alyscamps. In the 11th and 12th centuries, Arles once again became one of the most attractive cities in the Mediterranean. Within the city walls, Saint-Trophime, with its cloister, is one of Provence's major Romanesque monuments.
Santiago de Compostela was the supreme goal for countless thousands of pious pilgrims who converged there from all over Europe throughout the Middle Ages. To reach Spain pilgrims had to pass through France, and the group of important historical monuments included in this inscription marks out the four routes by which they did so.
The art of dry stone walling concerns the knowhow related to making stone constructions by stacking stones upon each other, without using any other materials except sometimes dry soil. Dry stone structures are spread across most rural areas – mainly in steep terrains – both inside and outside inhabited spaces, though they are not unknown in urban areas. The stability of the structures is ensured through the careful selection and placement of the stones, and dry-stone structures have shaped numerous, diverse landscapes, forming various modes of dwelling, farming and husbandry. Such structures testify to the methods and practices used by people from prehistory to today to organize their living and working space by optimizing local natural and human resources. They play a vital role in preventing landslides, floods and avalanches, and in combating erosion and desertification of the land, enhancing biodiversity and creating adequate microclimatic conditions for agriculture. The bearers and practitioners include the rural communities where the element is deeply rooted, as well as professionals in the construction business. Dry stone structures are always made in perfect harmony with the environment and the technique exemplifies a harmonious relationship between human beings and nature. The practice is passed down primarily through practical application adapted to the particular conditions of each place.
References
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