Arènes de Nîmes

The Arena of Nîmes is a Roman amphitheatre located in the city centre of Nimes, in the department of the Gard.

The Arena of Nîmes was built at the end of the first century after Jesus Christ, during the Roman occupation period of the city. The construction was based on the Coliseum in Rome, its was built for the same purpose as the Roman monument; to entertain the inhabitants of the city with Roman shows such as gladiatorial combats or horse-races.

Today these shows are still taking place in the arena such as corridas which are typical of the nîmoise tradition. Concerts during ‘the musical festival of Nimes’, organized every summer, are held in these Roman arenas, which are the best preserved in the world.

It is possible to visit the amphitheatre throughout the year, except for during these events. The building which was entirely restored for the first time in the middle of the 18th century is 133 metres in length, 101 metres in width and 21 metres in height. The capacity has been reduced as the arenas of Nimes can now accommodate 13,000 seated spectators, divided into four zones, compared to nearly 24,000 seats in Roman times. The different zones were originally reserved for different social classes.