This emblematic monument from the Roman era will exceptionally open its doors for free all weekend.
During the Heritage Days taking place this weekend of Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 October 2024, museums, castles, palaces, private mansions, institutes, town halls, embassies, theatres and even private residences will open their doors to visitors. These are places that are often closed the rest of the year that reveal the behind the scenes of their decor on this occasion, like the Elysée Palace, but also extremely prestigious places that open for free.
On this occasion, it is a grandiose place, one of the best preserved in the Roman world, which opens its doors for the first time, organizing a series of free and thematic visits during this weekend that celebrates heritage. The Arena of Nîmes, built at the end of the 1st century AD, was known for its impressive gladiator and wild animal fights to the ovations of the general public, divided according to their social rank on the 34 stands (and who never mixed due to an ingenious system of access to the stands).
That makes 5 years that this flagship monument of the Occitan city did not allow a free opening to the public due to its busy calendar of festivities. The prestigious setting of this amphitheater, 133 meters long by 101 meters wide and 21 meters high, now offers numerous events, hosting bullfights, Camargue races, concerts, congresses and sporting events.
This weekend, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the Arena for free, either independently or through tours led by guides in period costumes to fully immerse themselves in Roman history. Simple guided tours will be offered between 9am and 10am, between 1pm and 2pm and between 4pm and 5pm on both days. Themed tours are also offered between 11am and 12pm around the gladiators, entitled “Panem et Circenses”, and between 3pm and 4pm around Roman daily life, entitled “All roads lead to Nemausus”.
In addition to the Arena, two other emblematic Roman monuments of the city of Nîmes will open their doors for free on the occasion of the European Heritage Days: the Maison Carrée and the Tour Magne. Here too, guided tours will be organized, every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., then from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. for the Maison Carrée and free tours without a guide will be offered to visitors for the Tour Magne.