Arles, France A History and Charm Walking Tour
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ARL France a 27 minute tour of history and charm arals our walking tour begins along the Serene banks of the rone river near the historic p a Leons this bridge actually gets its name from the stone lion statues at its base symbolizing um protection and strength across the road from the river you’ll see a spot of ancient ruins once part of ARL Roman infrastructure these remnants likely belong to a port structure as ARL was a crucial Hub in the Roman Empire for transporting goods along the Rome archaeologists have found incredible artifacts in the rone itself including a bust of Julius Cesar which is believed to be the oldest known depiction of him dating back to his actual lifetime other Treasures like am for and mosaics uh give a glimpse into the vibrant Trade Network and daily life of Roman Arles the these uh discoveries highlight the city’s position as a link between the Mediterranean and the rest of Europe amazing ran River the ran River originates from the ran Glacier in the Swiss Alps and it has experienced significant changes over the past Century particularly concerning its water levels and flow car characteristics the rone has a history of formidable floods in the 19th century notable floods occurred in 1840 and 1856 causing significant destruction in cities like Leon these events led to the implementation of flood protection measures as you saw along the river that we just showed a short stroll into ARL uh brings you to the m Riu housed in a striking 15th century building that was once the grand priori of the Order of Malta this museum is a mustsee for art lovers featuring works by local artist Jax ruu a pioneer of neoclassical painting you’ll also find a collection of 57 drawings by Pablo Picasso yes my friends donated by the artist himself Picasso it is a musty Museum located near the grown River offering stunning views blending art with the natural beauty of ARL and of course heading um into the winding streets you’ll feel transported back in time these streets originally laid out in the Roman grid pattern are now a mix of medieval and Renaissance architecture many of the buildings here are over 400 years old with some dating back to the 12th century can you believe it the 12th century still inhabited still in use and amazing narrow alleys shaded by pastel colored faades and shuttered windows invite exploration you’ll notice rot iron bars on windows and Gates a design feature common in southern France these elements serve as uh protection during or sered more protection during uh turbulent periods and remain a signature of a provinal uh provinal uh Tech architecture and don’t miss the peculiar carved Stone faces peering out from the stone buildings some of the buildings um thought to ward off bad luck or malevolent Spirits these figures reflect both artistic creativity and local superstition and another Glimpse at our beautiful shutters and rot iron and here my friends are these magical mystical artistic uh crazy uh spirits and figures along the buildings absolutely love them awesome uh the uh continuing our journey you’ll encounter the Roman Theater built in the first century BC this ancient um structure uh once seated 10,000 Spectators and we’ll get there momentarily but first I want to talk about van go as you approach the cafe van go is vibrant yellow awning catches your eye this Cafe featured in Vincent Van Go’s famous cafe Terrace at Night painting remains a cherished stop on the V Trail the artist moved to ARL in 1888 drawn by the Region’s bright colors and uh Vivid light uh during his 15 months that he lived here he created over 300 works of art including iconic pieces like the night Cafe and The Starry Night Over the r uh over the rone uh van Go’s time in ARL also uh was marked by personal struggles unfortunately including his Infamous ear incident um despite this his work from arls remains some of the most celebrated in all of art history that Cafe stands as a vibrant tribute to his enduring influence next we’re heading to the uh Place do forum and I apologize I don’t speak in in French um it’s a lively Square built on the site of the Roman original Roman for today is charming mix of cafes and shops Buzz with activity at the center you’ll find a statue by theater Rivier a 19th century sculpture known for his evocative works this square perfectly captures the blend of arl’s ancient roots and modernday provential charm I did want to talk about the library we saw a moment ago it’s a uh toric bookstore housed in centuries old building adorned with uh classic provincial architecture and inside the shop offers a treasure Trove of literature including work Works about Arles and its history nearby you’ll find uh medieval remnants including arches and carved Stone so it’s a great place to uh walk and it reminds you that the city is layered in in history layered in buildings and buildings and buildings walking here you’re surrounded by centuries of stories embedded in these incredible beautiful walls throughout the city you’re going to see lion statues uh they’re going to appear in various forms often guarding doorways or public spaces these Lions date back to Roman times uh when they symbolize strength and protection in the amphitheater uh you’ll see them later they were also part of the uh gladiatorial games reinforcing their association with power and spectacle and this is a beautiful open building let me show you these Lions a beautiful Christmas tree all decked out for the holiday season and again as you go up these stairs here they have more incredible lion statues and look how old these stones are this all of these buildings absolutely stunning so incredibly incredibly beautiful all right and the white stone on the ceilings imagine that the the ceiling the walls everything made of stone and Grand doors everywhere and here I am friends look at me and I just want you to see this architecture and I hope you are enjoying this as much as I am it’s absolutely magnificent I feel blessed to be here and bring you what I am uh seeing and experiencing uh with ARL and uh also I want to let you know during December uh which we’re in Arles transforms into a wi Winter Wonderland with its Christmas Market the largest market takes place in the city center offering artisanal Goods uh provincial treats like candied fruits and handmade decorations uh smaller markets also pop up in in the various neighborhoods all around Arles um each adding a unique touch uh to the festive season these markets um well they they really show you arl’s warm uh communal spirit so it is really great to uh enjoy them as well as the charm of the city and the architecture to think that we are walking streets that date back um so long ago I mean it seems like the newest buildings were made back in the 1800s so truly truly mag magnificent and the the Basilica the the Bas Basilica of St uh tropy is a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture dating back to the 12th century it’s elaborate portal features intricate carvings depicting scenes from the last judgment inside the Basilica houses beautiful frescos and sculptures as well as a serene cloer that offers a uh peaceful Retreat the doorway with its ornate biblical scenes is designed to inspire awe and devotion among all of the pilgrims venturing here during Medieval Times To Worship on the left that’s absolutely masterful look at all of the detail the structure the the people the Saints such incredible beauty and my friends shortly we are going to show you the amphitheater the Coliseum the Roman Coliseum but first I wanted to just spend a minute with the architecture on this 12th century church and how it has lasted all these years built out of stone carved with so incredibly many many many Art hours out of people making these intricate details to to last throughout the ages good for you continue over a thousand years old oh okay well let’s head on down the street we want to see the uh first Coliseum um we’re going to uh enjoy two of them uh one is a UNESCO heritage site so I’m very excited about that and I love these streets and I cannot get over the the narrow roads and and walkways through these buildings and again this was Roman architecture Roman structures um built these narrow curving passageways and here we have a a Roman Amphitheater uh the ARL Amphitheater built in 90 ad it’s one of the uh City’s most iconic well this is is one of two of the uh City’s most iconic landmarks um so this is absolutely incredible look at just just the massive size of these and this is only half of an Amphitheater left we are going to go through ARL and see the the full Amphitheater of ARL that seats 20,000 people this one is half here it is gated off it is under uh construction and renovation they’re trying to save what is left but I just want look at those birds that’s awesome I I just want to to show some of the detail that is in this historical place and such sadness that so many pieces are are tumbled over and and lost to the ages but we’re going to go around the corner and show one in use today um absolutely incredible that that hosts uh concerts and festivals and and draws uh over 500,000 people every single year just to its events not including to the the tours that come through just to to witness to touch to feel to be immersed in this incredible Roman history that brought the amazing places to bring all of the people together for for entertainment for information for news glor and yes I know I know I know bad things happened here bad things happened in all of the amphitheaters but we want to just think of how these incredible structures were touched by people 90 ad this is over two, years old and hit that subscribe button my friends if you haven’t subscribed also give me a thumbs up give me a like I would be extremely happy um to have you with me as I uh continue and I’m going to take you to an aqueduct that is over 2,000 years old as well um but right now we are going to go around the corner and go inside of an Amphitheater that is used today such intense incredible history and I’m going to give you another view we’re going to walk around the corner here heading towards the other Coliseum and I want to show you every angle of this even look at the stone on the ground that we’re walking through or that you would walk through look how huge these Boulders are and they’re brought from quaries maybe a mile two miles away just absolutely incredible and we are going to go to some Stone quaries too so hit that subscribe button and we are going to uh see such amazing things on this trip I’m so glad you’re with me I know you’re probably jonesing like me cuz I want to go inside of these doors I want to go in here and see what it’s like just amazing how they round those stones it’s all built in stone and we’re going to another place that shows you how they actually built the amphitheaters the doorways the the trees the trunks they had to have to hold these stones in shape and how they slid right into place and um built one amongst the other one to um hold each other up just incredible I love arls I love arls this is so cool and I know as soon as I go around the corner I’m going to be in awe are you ready here we go gasp this is it my friends this is it the ARL Amphitheater built in 90 ad about the same uh 10e fine frame as the one we just saw it’s one of arl’s most iconic landmarks it’s capable of seeding 20,000 Spectators it in its Heyday it’s in its beginning it hosted gladiatorial games chariot races chariots fit through these and yes we’re going inside I cannot wait um chariots fit through these these Gates onto the stage there’s there’s places underground where they went underneath and staged up to come out um unfortunately yes yes yes terrible terrible terrible it also um hosted public executions and and gory games um and unlike the the Coliseum in Rome the ARL Amphitheater was repurposed during the Middle Ages becoming a fortress an actual Fortress and then a residential area where people lived inside of it today it’s actually restored um it was used for for bull flights just a few years back and now it’s it’s used for concerts and festivals it draws about 500,000 visitors annually for the concert concs and festivals the uh amphitheaters uh construction used Limestone uh cord here locally and its arches and tunnels still remain a testament to Roman engineering it uh differs from other amphitheaters in its modern being adapted um it’s infrastructure it ensures it to uh continue uh to serve the community they and we’ll see it momentarily they have numbered the seats so they can sell the tickets the rows inside for the seats they have um put in the the handrails um so you can enter and and sit and uh enjoy the the um show and the concerts that are shown here I know my friends if I lived here I would be coming to concerts in This Magnificent place and look at this only a dream of being able to live in a house that is say 400 years old can you imagine look at these beautiful homes and businesses and buildings A lot of people live on the second third and fourth floors they have their store or their business on the first floor sometimes they let the rooms on the higher floors and live on the second and third floor so and right across from this UNESCO Heritage recently um brought into UNESCO Coliseum spectacular spectacular and yes the suspense is killing me I cannot wait to get in here and show you uh right here UNESCO World her site just since 2021 and this breaks down some of the Ampitheater and shows you the different parts absolutely incredible this is spot-on awesome look at this a six-minute walk to the different places around here and what you have to visit the six monuments around here that you have to is it while you’re in town and it’s all like this Coliseum in Roman times is the center of the entire city everything is built around this Amphitheater look at these Stones I’m wondering if I put my hand on a wall a step a stone a uh uh the ground if maybe someone hasn’t touched touched it for a couple hundred years and I’m touching their where they were but here we see these beautiful seats set up everything is ready for an updated in today’s uh comfort and style yeah maybe not Comfort look at the cement seats around me hey me yes we are inside I cannot believe we are inside the Roman Coliseum the top oh and that sun I could bring my tripod in here and have fun okay and also there are pigeons all over the town but if you see here they have some cats inside the amphitheater I know they live here um so they keep the pigeons out they keep believe it or not they keep this place clean so you’re not going to have to worry about scrubbing the seats as often or keeping it clean um they’re really do and look at these old Stones absolutely beautiful and these Stones were were Limestone quarried white and with age they they turn the the darker color and with weather and people touching them and hitting them and falling on them they wear down over the the years but look at this that the the metal siding the seats lower down not too shabby huh my friends and and one Coliseum over here not here in France not where we’re at uh but one of them they couldn’t do the bull fights that they used to do because the Bulls could actually jump up into the seats so um this one they did have the bull fights until maybe 10 years ago and then they’ve stopped having the bull fights but just amazing amazing place to be able to come in sit down look around and just oogle that we get to be here this is awesome there’s a cat I found a cat and again it looks fat and happy it’s clean it’s keeping the birds oh and there’s one under the chair look at that two cats one’s under the seat there on the left hand side and one’s on top of the seat so clearly friendly guys that keep the pigeons out and again my friends arls is a great place to visit I highly recommend beautiful streets beautiful people I have had uh many many people speaking English to me and I do want to tell you the um a as you near the city’s Edge notice the uh you’re going to see all different kind kind of of architecture here um but ARL welcomes numerous uh cruise ships each year with AMA waterways the uh ship that we’re on right now among the most prominent uh visitors here uh here is a painting with a beautiful well and water fountain here um Alma waterways uh frequences arls uh local businesses th on the influx of tourists uh we contribute tourists contribute significantly to the city’s economy shops restaurants and guided tours offer warm hospit uh Hospitality um to us when we visit and make sure that we have a very memorable experience and the uh round buildings here as you uh get to the city’s Edge um our remnants of Aral found uh fortification outside the city walls um there is pieces here of an ancient Bo boat holes uh displayed which is uh from the the city’s Maritime Heritage these uh relics uh illustrate arl’s importance as a Riverport in Antiquity and just some fun facts um ARL has been uh the setting for different films such as Ronin um also the uh horsemen on the roof uh the city is part of the uh Kamar region known for its wild horses and flamingos so arol is a very welcoming City in southern France and I hope you have the opportunity book a trip on Amma waterways and enjoy arls have a great day
1 Comment
Great video !