Théâtre antique d'Orange

Orange

Built at the beginning of the Christian era for the Roman colony of Arausio, in the reign of Augustus, the theatre of Orange has kept what almost every other has lost: its stage wall. The outer wall is 103 metres long and 37 high; in the great central niche stands an imperial statue, long identified as Augustus — an identification now debated. Turned into a small fort in the twelfth century, the theatre became an outpost of the castle of the princes of Orange, then a refuge during the Wars of Religion, and dwellings spread even into the tiers of seats. Its clearance began in the 1820s — in 1825 according to UNESCO. By tradition, Louis XIV is said to have called it "the finest wall in my kingdom": no contemporary source records the remark, nor the visit on which it was supposedly made. Listed as a historic monument in 1862, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981, together with the town's triumphal arch.

Getting there : Open year-round, paid entry (audio guide and museum included); free for residents of Orange.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound