Arles, France - A Land of Roman Monuments and Van Gogh

Arles is a city of 52,000 as of 2005 located in thebullfights, and is in remarkably preserved condition.
south of France on the banks of the River Rhone.Other Roman monuments to see while you are in
Arles is home to some of the most impressively intactArles include the Roman baths - The Thermae of
Roman monuments outside of Rome. Arles is alsoConstantine. These thermal baths once were a part of
known as the subject of over 300 paintings byConstantine's grand Palace and can be toured. There
Vincent Van Gogh. Van Gogh was most likelyis also an elaborate Roman necropolis just outside of
attracted to Arles by the Provencal landscapes andthe old town.
quiet nature of the town, which was off the beatenThere is also an outstanding Ancient History Museum
track when he arrived there in 1888.in Arles which features one of the best collections of
There are two particularly impressive RomanRoman sarcophagi found anywhere outside of Rome
monuments in Arles. One is the Roman theater whichitself.. There are some non-Roman structures to be
held 20,000 spectators and still functions as the venueadmired as well, such as the Church of St. Tropohime,
for outdoor concerts in the summer months. Thewhich was once a Cathedral and is one of the best
Roman arena, or amphitheater, however, is the trueexamples of Romanesque architecture you will see.
gem. Today it functions as the home for numerous