Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This first-century
B.C.
Roman theater once seated 10,000...just like the theater in Orange.
But unlike Orange, here inArles there was nohillside toprovide support. This theater was
an elegant, 3-level structure with 27 arches radiating out to the street level. From the out-
side, it looked much like a halved version of Arles' Roman Arena.
Cost and Hours:
€6.50, daily May-Sept 9:00-19:00, March-April and Oct
9:00-18:00, Nov-Feb 10:00-17:00. Budget travelers can peek over the fence from Rue du
Cloître and see just about everything for free.
Visiting the Theater:
Start with the video outside, which provides helpful back-
groundinformationandimagesthatmakeiteasiertoputthescattered stonesbackinplace
(crouch in front to make out the small English subtitles). You'll also find a large inform-
ation panel nearby on the grass that adds more context. Walk into the theater and pull
up a stone seat in a center aisle. To appreciate the theater's original size, look left (about
9:00) to the upper-left side of the tower and find the protrusion that supported the highest
seating level. The structure required 33 rows of seats covering 3 levels to accommodate
demand. During the Middle Ages, the old theater became a convenient town quarry—St.
Trophime Church was built from theater rubble. Precious little of the original theater sur-
vives—though it still is used for events, with seating for 3,000 spectators.
