Nîmes Roman Ruins Site Features

Nîmes features some of the best-preserved Roman sites not just in France, but in the whole of Europe.

Perhaps the most impressive attraction is the Maison Carree – the city's main temple. It was built sometime in the 1st Century BC in the Vitruvian style. Unbelievably, the temple seems to have survived countless centuries and remained almost completely intact, making it one of the world's best-preserved examples of a Roman temple.

The city's amphitheater, known today as the Arena of Nimes, is also remarkably well-preserved. It was constructed in approximately 70 AD, not long after Rome's own Colosseum. Up to 24,000 spectators could enjoy events in the arena, including gladiatorial fights.

Nîmes is also home to the Temple of Diana, which isn't technically a temple. Instead, it's a nymphaeum dedicated to the nymphs of the La Fontaine hot spring. The building also contains an Augusteum, which allowed citizens to worship the Emperor.

Throughout the city, visitors can also spot remnants of the aqueduct that brought water to Nimes. The Pont du Gard section of the aqueduct is the most impressive, towering nearly 50 meters high. It's a 45-minute drive from the center of Nimes.

The Musée de la Romanite is the city's Roman museum. It was opened in 2018 and is close to the amphitheater.