Arles

Town ·🇫🇷 France

Population 51,811

Area 13 km²

Time zone Europe/Paris

Official website www.ville-arles.fr

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Explore Arles

Arles: Roman & Romanesque Treasures

This collection highlights the UNESCO-listed Roman and Romanesque heritage of Arles. Explore the 1st-century Roman Amphitheatre and the ancient Theatre built under Augustus. Discover the Cryptoporticus, an underground gallery system beneath the forum, and the Alyscamps, a sprawling Roman necropolis later painted by Van Gogh and Gauguin. The Church of St. Trophime stands as a masterpiece of Romanesque sculpture, while the Museum of Ancient Arles houses significant archaeological finds, including the 4th-century obelisk located in the central Republic Square.

12 places

Roman Heritage of Arles

Arles contains a dense concentration of Roman and Romanesque monuments, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This collection includes the 1st-century amphitheatre and theatre, the underground cryptoporticus of the forum, and the Alyscamps necropolis. Medieval additions like the Church of Saint Trophime showcase the city's transition to Romanesque architecture. These sites illustrate the evolution of Arles from a Roman colony under Augustus to a major religious center in the Middle Ages.

10 places

Historic Churches and Chapels

Arles' religious architecture spans from the 12th-century Romanesque portals of the UNESCO-listed Church of St. Trophime to the Southern Gothic interiors of Saint Césaire. The collection includes the high-perched Church of our Lady of the Major and the stylistically diverse Saint-Julien Church, which blends Gothic and Baroque elements. These sites showcase the evolution of ecclesiastical design in Provence, featuring ancient floor tiles, historic chapels, and the circular 'Rotonde' protestant temple.

6 places

Arles Art & Culture

Arles showcases a timeline of creative history, beginning with the 1st-century Roman Theatre and the extensive archaeological collections at the Musée de l'Arles antique. The city’s artistic evolution continues at the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh and the contemporary LUMA Arles complex, featuring Frank Gehry’s landmark tower. Smaller venues like Galerie de Poche and the repurposed industrial halls of Les Forges provide space for photography and local craftsmanship, while independent cinemas and theaters sustain the city's performing arts scene.

14 places