Roman Theatre of Orange, Orange, France

The Roman Theatre of Orange was built early in the 1st century AD. It is one of the best preserved of all Roman theatres, and served the Roman colony of Arausio which was founded in 40 BC. Playing a major role in the life of the citizens, who spent a large part of their free time there, the theatre was seen by the Roman authorities not only as a means of spreading Roman culture to the colonies, but also as a way of distracting them from all political activities.

Mime, pantomime, poetry readings and the attelana (a kind of farce rather like the commedia dell'arte) were the dominant forms of entertainment, much of which lasted all day. For the common people, who were fond of spectacular effects, magnificent stage sets became very important, as was the use of stage machinery. The entertainment offered was open to all and free of charge.

It has been restored to its former function, primarily for opera, alongside its use as a tourist spot. In 1981, the Roman Theatre was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its outstanding preservation and architecture.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Alexander Coles (4 months ago)
All time favourite concert venue! Absolutely incredible place.

Stephen Hazell (4 months ago)
Incredible site, we were tossing up whether to bother coming or not, but super glad we did. Love the audio guide included in the ticket which helps set the scene as provides great info. Amazingly preserved Roman theatre and well worth a trip out to!

Matthew Kunzler (6 months ago)
An incredible Roman era gem tucked away in the city of Orange. If you aren't familiar with France, you may not even know where Orange is, but this is a must see if you are travelling in the provence area. It's in-between Lyon and Marseille and is very easy to access. Parking was not a problem and very cheap on the street (€1 per hr). You can tour the entire theatre in less than 90 minutes. It's a self guided tour where they provide small devices and you walk to the numbers in the site and hit play on the device to learn about the history. We visited from the USA with our three kids, ages 6, 3, and 6 months and were able to get around just fine. It's very steep, but the views are stunning. Don't miss our on the interior rooms under the stadium either

Robert Baracz (7 months ago)
It's all so incredible. Rich history and so well preserved. Great audio guide with tons of info. Also check out the mid level section with "rooms" full of information all in French and English.

Col M (8 months ago)
Stunning and ancient. Around 1800 years old and beyond. Great value. Go to the museum first to see some of the antiquities then enter the amphitheater. Lots of steps so not wheelchair friendly at all (those damn romans!)

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