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the moment
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Present
Nîmes across the centuries
The city of Nîmes is a fascinating construction, built around and with the existing Roman monuments. The city owes its identity, personality and singularity to this ancient architecture developed over the centuries...infusing it with exceptional universal value.
The city evokes the image of the ultimate Roman city, with both the rich collection of classical monuments and the originality of its urban network which have grown together harmoniously over time.
Travel back in time

The Beginnings — sixth century BC

The founding of Nîmes goes back to the sixth century BC. The Volcae Arecomici, a Celtic tribe, settled around a generous spring and built a sanctuary in its honour. Primitive shelter was gradually replaced by drystone buildings including the Tour Magne, a tall tower built on a hill and that later became part of the Roman ramparts. In 120 BC, the Volcae, who had a vast territory with 24 oppida, accepted the Roman legions without resistance. The Gallo-Roman town of Nemausa was about to come into existence.

Jardins de la fontaine
Jardins de la fontaine
Tour Magne
Jardins de la fontaine

Must-sees

The Gallo-Romans — second century AD

The romanisation of Nîmes truly began in the first century BC. The town became a 'colony under Latin law' and magnificent monuments were built. The Emperor Augustus and his successors made it a town for the promotion of romanity in Gaul. Nîmes grew and its 7 km of ramparts enclosed 220 hectares. It was at it greatest in the second century, a perfectl stopping place on the Via Domitia that ran from Rome to Spain. The population is estimated to have been 25,000. Successive invasions in the third and fifth centuries AD and the arrival and settling of the Visigoths put an en to the prosperity of the town.

Column - Maison Carrée
Le Pont du Gard
Les Arènes
Part of the frieze - Maison Carrée
Les Arènes
La Maison Carrée

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The Middle Ages

The town shrank and in the eighth century was a tenth of the size that it had been in Roman times. The population took refuge in the amphitheatre and made it a fortress because of increasing insecurity. The Roman ramparts were used as a quarry where everyone helped himself to stone. Some districts, like that of La Fontaine, were abandoned. Nîmes woke up from 1000 AD onwards. New city walls were built. Trade started again, thanks to vineyards, olives and sheep farming. For several centuries the water flowing through the town resulted in prosperity for tanners, dyers and sellers of cloth.

Architectural detail – Roman house
Architectural detail – Roman house
Architectural detail – Roman house
Nîmes au Moyen-Age

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From the Renaissance
to the Age of Enlightenment

The Wars of Religion were violent in the sixteenth century. Protestants were kept out of public life and turned to trading. Their cloth production was soon exported within Europe and to the Spanish Indies. The city became prosperous and its looks improved.

A contrast between superb mansions and urban refurbishment. During the Age of Enlightenment, the Roman sanctuary of the Source was fortuitously discovered. It was decided to make it a major urban project. The silk industry converted to shawl production thanks to the first Jacquard looms introduced by Turion, a local Nîmes worker.

Hôtel de Fontfroide
Château Fadaise
Fine Arts Museum painting
Hôtel Rochemore
Jardins de la Fontaine

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The Nineteenth Century

Competition from Lyons was fierce in the second half of the nineteenth century. Textile capital was very quickly re-invested in vineyards before money was lost. Winegrowing was enhanced by the Canal du Midi and transport of wine by rail from Nîmes. A new era of prosperity began. The district around the station was developed in a sumptuous manner and many private mansions were built. In addition, Nîmes became the centre for the transit of coal from the Cévennes to Beaucaire and the Rhône.

Nîmes station
Architectural detail - Lycée A. Daudet
Eglise Saint Baudile
Lycée A. Daudet clock
Maison Boulla

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Today

Nîmes, with a population of 150,000 is changing. As a result of deliberate efforts it has combined for nearly thirty years cutting-edge contemporary art and the riches of the past. The old districts are being renovated and the city is spreading towards the south. Architectural and town planning projects have been entrusted to the greatest international names—Norman Foster, Vittorio Gregotti, Kisho Kurokawa, Mieko Inoue, Jean Nouvel, Martial Raysse, Philippe Starck and Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Completed in 2013, the 'AEF' project designed by the architect and town planner Alain Marguerit is aimed at enlarging the historic centre by creating a continuous 8-hectare urban area covering the arena, Esplanade Charles de Gaulle and the railway station, making a twenty-first century forum.

Carré d’Art Jean Bousquet
Paloma
Musée de la Romanité
Allées Jaurès
Esplanade Charles de Gaulle
Rooftop terrace

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