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Why the
Nimes Amphitheatre
is special
The elliptical Nimes Amphitheatre is in amazingly fine condition considering its 2,000-year age.
In Roman times
Over 20,000 people would fill the seats to watch gladiator fights, animal hunts, and other crowd-pleasing spectaculars.
Today
The wonder still pulses. Events include concerts, circuses and bull fights (mainly bloodless). And, it's covered and heated in the winter.
Awning
The Nimes Amphitheatre in its Roman days could be covered with a vast canvas canopy to shade the viewers from the sun and rain. In our current era, it also sports a temporary cover, but it's used only in the winter.
Crowd-flow
The architects designed an intricate corridor system that allowed spectators to reach their seats (and later exit the arena) within 4 or 5 minutes. Crowd-flow in modern arenas pales by comparison.
Nearby wonders
The
Nimes Amphitheatre is an easy walk from another Hillman Wonder medal winner, the
Maison Carree.
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