FRANCE - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 161

Notes: About a 10-minute walk from the railway station. Depart from the statue in
front of the rail station down Cours Brillier to the tourist pavilion on the left-hand
side of the street.
Turn a corner in Vienne, and you turn a page of history. Roman in origin, this
charming city lies on the Rhône River to the south of Lyon but so close (20 miles)
that it could be mistaken easily for a Lyon suburb. Such is not the case. Vienne is
distinctly different.
Among the remains of this once great city of the Roman Empire, and dating from
the first century B.C. to the end of the third century A.D. , stand a temple, an amphi-
theater, and a pyramid that was once the center of a Roman circus. Roman Vienne
spread to both sides of the Rhône River, where ruins of a warehouse and baths
have been uncovered.
A statue in memory of the fallen during 1914 and 1940 stands in the square
fronting the railway station. Take a moment to pause and reflect here. Note, too,
that many of the names have family extensions in North America.
Attendants at the tourist office will assist by marking a suggested walking tour on
your map. The majority of the city's sights, concentrated in the old north quarter,
allow visitors to move quickly from one attraction to another.
Collections of bronze, ceramics, and jewels are on display at the Museum of
Fine Arts. Perhaps the most impressive Roman ruin of Vienne is the Temple of
Augustus and Livia, which is perfectly preserved. One almost expects toga-clad
senators to step through its portals and into a local pastry shop. The temple is sur-
rounded by more modern structures in the center of the city. No doubt the proximity
of other buildings has helped shield and preserve the temple through the ages.
The great amphitheaterofVienne was cleverly built into the slope of the hillside
on which the town now stands. In its original state, it could hold 13,000 spectat-
ors. It was covered entirely by soil in the first century A.D. , but excavations between
1922 and 1938, when activities were curtailed by World War II, have brought to life
some very beautiful remnants of statuary, coins, and jewels from the era. The am-
phitheater, modernized with stage lighting, is now the scene of many fine theatrical
presentations in Vienne for thousands of spectators throughout the summer sea-
son, including the Vienne Jazz Festival. Similar lighting of the Temple of Augustus
and Livia makes an evening visit to the city a memorable one.