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The rue de Rollin runs from the place de la Contrescarpe to the rue Monge.
You can follow it from the rue Mouffetard area to the Arènes de Lutèce.
You can also get off the Métro at the place Monge station if you want.
Either way, walk east on the rue de Navarre to get to the Arènes.
And then just enter this little park on your left.
This Roman amphitheater was built around 100 AD in the Latin Quarter.
It includes a large arena, and once had a stage on one side as well.
Here you see the arena portion, still in use today.
The amphitheater fell out of use around 300 AD, and was subsequently buried.
It was rediscovered entirely by accident in the late 19th century.
Some parts of it are lost, but a lot remains and has been restored.
You can climb up a little stone stairway to reach some of the grandstands.
In the background on the upper right is the former location of the stage.
From up here in the stands there’s a pretty good view, as you’d expect.
The stands opposite the stage were destroyed before the ruins were rediscovered.
There used to be more, higher grandstands where this stairway is.
The original capacity of the venue was about 17,000 people.
From here you can clearly see the placement of the stage on the right.
Looking back the other way from the expensive seats.
That square hole in the buildings back there is an entrance from the rue Monge.
Here we are looking at the amphitheather from the stage.
The purpose of this niche at the front of the stage is a bit mysterious.
Those square holes at arena level in the background were probably cages.
The purpose of these structures on (beneath?) the stage is unclear.
The upper portions of the stage have not survived.
Today they are filled with benches for relaxation.
They alternate between square and round inner contours.
These are the “cages,” if that’s really what they were.
The arena is popular for informal soccer and pétanque games today.
I’m still curous about this niche. What was it for?
Seen from the front, arena level.
And what was the purpose of this grate?
And is this a step, or a foundation for a column or support, or what?
Let’s go up another grim little stairway on the north side.
Was there someone checking tickets at this stairway 2000 years ago?
Who knows?
You can see how the buildings destroyed part of the stands.
And you can see the square corridor to the rue Monge down there.
And there’s the stage again.
You’re looking roughly southeast.
Some speculate that these structures improved acoustics.
Here we are down in the arena, with the stage almost behind us.
Let’s take a peek at these “cages.”
Hmm, just some plastic barricades … no lion bones that I can see.
Well, that’s about it.
It’s sobering to think that people were playing games here 2000 years ago.
That’s 100 generations of soccer and pétanque, so to speak.
There’s a tiny park adjacent to the arena; I’ll show it to you someday.
All done for now. I hope you enjoyed the visit.
Thank you for watching my video.