Les Arènes, Arles, France

Looking through the walls

Arles has no shortage of Roman ruins, and the main attraction is the elliptical amphitheatre. Standing inside, taking it all in, I thought it was enormous, but it turns out it was only the 20th largest in the Roman world.

Exterior

Here, beginning in 70 A.D., gladiators, criminals and slaves encountered their end before 20,000 spectators.

Plenty of room for blood-hungry spectators

The two-level stone façade contained 60 arches. The viewing section had 34 rows of seats, divided into four categories. Your social position determined where you sat, and access to the galleries was arranged through numerous corridors and staircases so that people of different classes need not meet.

Beautiful stone walls

In the Middle Ages, the structure was converted into a fortress that housed the townspeople in 200 houses. For added protection, four defensive towers were built.

Interactive demonstrations were taking place

Today, you can still go to the amphitheatre to see bullfights, theatre performances, concerts and courses Camarguaises, a non-bloody sport in which participants compete to snip tied ribbons off bulls’ horns.