Nîmes, Historical Roman city in southern Occitanie, France.
Description
Nîmes is a city in the Gard department of the Occitanie region in southern France, positioned between Montpellier and Avignon. The old town displays ancient Roman structures, including a first-century temple and an oval amphitheater with two tiers built from pale limestone.
History
The Roman colony began in the first century before our era and grew quickly under Emperor Augustus into a major settlement. After the fall of the Roman Empire the city lost importance and experienced a revival in medieval times through textile trade and later through silk production.
Culture
The city takes its name from the Celtic god Nemausus, whose spring still flows in the Jardin de la Fontaine and draws locals year-round. Visitors notice the coat of arms featuring a palm and crocodile throughout town, recalling the Egyptian campaign veterans who settled here under Rome.
Practical
The compact old center is easy to explore on foot, with most Roman sites within roughly a kilometer of each other. During high summer heat can become intense around midday, so a visit in the morning or late afternoon works better.
Did you know?
The sturdy cotton fabric from the region became known as Serge de Nîmes in the seventeenth century and was later shortened to denim in America. This cloth formed the foundation for the famous work trousers worn around the world today.
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Amphitheater of Nîmes
284 m
Maison Carrée
329 m
Magne Tower
1.1 km
Jardins de la Fontaine
845 m
Temple of Diana
822 m
Musée de la Romanité
233 m
Gare de Nîmes
747 m
Carré d'art
413 m
Nîmes Cathedral
108 m
Le Nemausus
1.5 km
Nîmes, St Baudile church
402 m
Porta Augusta
334 m
Castellum divisorium
644 m
Sanctuaire de la Fontaine
948 m
Fontaine Pradier
336 m
Les Halles de Nîmes
234 m
Musée des beaux-arts de Nîmes
617 m
Église Saint-Paul de Nîmes
329 m
Porte de France
558 m
Nîmes, St Perpétue church
318 m
Justice Court in Nîmes
262 m
Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle
306 m
Town hall of Nîmes
104 m
Grand Temple
274 m
Cimetière protestant de Nîmes
1.5 km
Roman city wall at Nîmes
1.8 km
Archaeological Museum Nîmes
221 m
Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Nîmes
207 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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