Nimes was a large Roman city that received water from the famous Pont du Gard aqueduct bridge. |
The Pont du Garde museum is... quirky. |
Romans used a groma to survey and align the aqueduct. |
The museum has an impressive display on the construction of the aqueduct. |
Pont du Gard crosses the Gardon River. |
It was built in the 1st century A.D., and carried water over 30 miles to Nimes. |
Graffiti has been added to its sides since the fall of the Roman Empire. |
The symbol of Nimes is a crocodile chained to a palm, symbolizing Augustus Caesar's victory over Marc Anthony in the Battle of Actium. |
The Maison Carree is a first century A.D. Roman temple. |
You have been visited by Tartuffe the spry wonder dog. |
The Temple of Diana in the Jardins de la Fontaine is probably not a temple of Diana, but a library. |
The ruins were discovered in the 18th century while Nimes constructed a park. |
The park and ruins were built around a spring worshiped by the Celts. |
The Tour Magne is at the top of the park. |
Nimes was founded before 28 B.C. as the colony of Nemausus by the Romans. |
Nimes population is ~150,000. At its height in Roman times, the population was ~ 50,000. |
The Arena of Nimes became its own neighborhood after the fall of the Roman Empire, and had two churches built inside. |
The Musee des Beaux-Arts de Nimes has a collection that spans 2000 years. |
Old meets new |
Alexander meets Diogenes |
Tete de boeuf |
Nimes loves their mascot. |
The Nimes Archeology Museum is top notch. The Warrior of Grezan is a rare pre-Roman depiction of a Gallic warrior. |
Another Gallic man with an impressive hat from the 700s or 600s B.C. |
A deposit of cut-off heads and Gaulish weapons from 3rd century B.C. Cailar. Fifty skulls were found there, the previous owners enemies slayed on the battlefield. |
Colors of Roman Nimes |
Nimes was eventually eclipsed by Arles in the 4th century A.D. |
The Franks and Visigoths later fought over Nimes, and it was conquered by the Umayyads in the 8th century. |
An animated grave |
Rare pavement mosaics from the 1st century B.C. |
Original Nimes crocodile coins |
Fibulae heralding the end of the Roman era |
Early Christian stele |
Fighting monsters sculpted by Benedetto Antelami in the 1100s. |
Friezes from Nimes' Notre-Dame et Saint Castor, completed in 1096. |
How does Saint Luke read? |
A 14th century frieze by Andre Vasal, described as "clumsy." |
A frieze from one of the churches that used to be in the Arena of Nimes. |
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