Amphitheater of Nîmes

The Arènes de Nîmes is among the world's best-preserved Roman amphitheaters, built around 90 AD in local limestone in what was then the prosperous Roman colony of Nemausus. Its two fully intact arcaded stories originally seated around 24,000 spectators for gladiatorial combat and animal hunts. During the Middle Ages the structure was repurposed as a fortified settlement — houses, a church, and alleyways were built directly inside the ancient walls, creating a city-within-a-monument that persisted until 19th-century excavations began clearing it out. Today the arena is remarkably intact and actively used year-round: summer corridas (bullfights) are a deeply rooted local tradition drawing crowds from across the region, alongside concerts and open-air performances. An on-site museum displays gladiatorial artifacts recovered from the site.