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  • Day 141

    Day 139 The trail to Rome and Nimes!

    August 7, 2018 in France ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Tuesday 07/08/2018 Day (Day 52 SZ) Appart'City Nîmes 364, allée de l’Amérique Latine, Nîmes, 30900, France

    Today we discover the delights at least I hope delights of Nimes and our plan did not disappoint..Nîmes is not a big tourist destination which for us is great ...Not too many people around to bug us as we look...
    We walked to city centre which in itself was just so pleasant in itself as we wandered the French streets, s many doors to discover... it has such a very different feel to it than Italy..Nîmes even though very old in it self, set up by the Romans by Caesar Augustus around last Century BC and 1st Century AD... however the majority of the town feels much newer especially the area we are in....

    Onwards to town, smack bang right to the huge Roman arena, 1. Les Arènes as its called is a huge Amphitheatre built AD 70 we didn’t go into it as again too expensive so we just wandered around the outside, you could see bits inside from there anyway just not the finer details... up the alleys around I to find some lunch which we did a kebab shop, got take away then come back and sat in front of the arena under trees on some cement seats...Watching the world go by here as very relaxing as not many people compared with so many of the other places we have been to... after lunch we wandered around the streets some more taking in the shops, finding as we went 2. Maison Carrée meaning in French the Square House even though it’s rectangle in shape... it was built 2AD and dedicated to Gaius Caesar and Lucius Caesar 2 grandsons and adopted heirs of Augustus Caesar who both died young... sad really isn’t it...

    Next we set off as was recommended by the tourist info centre to the 3. Jardins de la Fontaine, however on the way we made our way past modern fountains set up in a park with huge faces depicting old statues a modern take on old, interesting anyway... from here we made our way to the huge park this was built on the sight of 4. Temple de Diane which is dedicated to the Goddess Diana... the Fountain and park lanes were built in 1745 it was actually one of Europe’s 1st public parks..much of the park is made up of regal balustrades, broad stairways, statues and marble vases, and waterways.... the huge Fountain and then the huge number of steps to climb up to the 5. La Tour Magne...

    But before we did the climb we climbed around the ruins of the Temple de Diane, much of it is still there although in ruins but considering it as built around 1-2AD it was originally a Library was then used as a church before the French Wars of Religion damaged much of pre Medieval and Medieval buildings... a
    Either way it was interesting to scamper around and check it out...

    From here we did the big haul up the quite steep paths to the La Tour Magne... this is a Tower that was part of the 6k city walls now gone built around 15-14BC before this one was built it was built on top of a Celtic/Gallic Tower over 2,000 yrs old now and much or it is still standing....

    It’s been a great day of yet more interesting sights to discover... not knowing what’s here is better more of a surprise...as we wandered around... I even enjoyed our walk home discovering more doors and windows... many which I won’t post up as I think I have over killed my posts with doors... one day I will have to do a book of doors of the world...

    Dinner in tonight another big day tomorrow as we head out to see other sights outside if town...

    Info thanks to The Crazy Tourist © 2018 THE CRAZY TOURIST

    1. Les Arènes
    The Roman amphitheatre in Nîmes has proudly stood the test of 2,000 years and looks great for its age.
    The arena is still used for celebrations and concerts, and every May is a solemn scene for six days of bullfighting during the Feria de Nîmes. On a visit there’s so much for you to sink your teeth into, because even the configuration of the stairwells and galleries is impressive, and would have allowed 24,000 spectators to get in and out in a few minutes without risking crushes.

    2. Maison Carrée
    An exemplary piece of Vitruvian architecture, Maison Carrée is almost unparalleled in the former Roman world for its completeness.It has been here for more than 2,000 years and the only signs of age are a bit of weathering on the columns in the marvellous portico.The temple was dedicated to Gaius and Lucius Caesar, two grandsons of Emperor Augustus who died in their youth.In the next 20 centuries it became a house, granary, church and was also the mooted tomb for the 16th-century Duke of Uzès , Antoine de Crussol.
    All these functions helped to keep temple in one piece for so long.To enter you have to pass through the majestic doorway almost seven metres in height and there’s a small, unadorned chamber showing a film about ancient Nemausus. then to the long fountain then onto the Garden steps

    3. Jardins de la Fontaine
    Parks don’t get much grander than these 18th century gardens around the water source where ancient Nîmes was founded. There are regal balustrades, broad stairways, statues and marble vases, but also exciting Roman monuments, which we’ll visit later. When the Jardins de la Fontaine opened in 1745 it was one of Europe’s first public parks, and came about after attempts to channel the natural spring led to the discovery of a temple to Augustus and theatre. Come to make more Roman discoveries and recharge your batteries on paths with cedars and horse chestnuts.

    4. Temple de Diane
    Almost hidden behind a copse of pines on the west side of the Jardins de la Fontaine are ruins of a chamber with a long barrel vault that caved in centuries ago. To the sides are passageways with centuries-worth of graffiti etched into the walls, and there are fragments of expertly-carved stonework in the main room. The site is called the “Temple of Diana” although the exact purpose of the building is unknown – it was possibly a library instead. Just by the entrance there’s a plaque telling you the story of the site since medieval times, and how it was damaged by fire in the early modern age.

    5. La Tour Magne
    In its prime the tower at the top of the Jardins de la Fontaine would soar to 32 metres, dwarfing every other building in the city (it is now 18, which is high enough!). The tower is all that is left of the fortifications erected during the rule of Emperor Augustus in 15BC. From its pedestal at the highest point of Nemausus it would have been a crucial beacon and watchtower controlling the plain.You can enter to read the explanatory panels about its Celtic origins, and climb up the stairs to the viewpoint at 18 metres where the displays show you how the panorama would have looked 2,000 years ago.
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