Avenches Amphitheatre, Avenches, Switzerland

Avenches (earlier known as Aventicum) became the capital of the Roman Helvetia province around 15-13 BC. The heyday of the city was in the 2nd century AD when it had over 20,000 inhabitants. The amphitheatre was also erected in the early 2th century. Today it is Switzerland's best preserved amphitheatre.

User Reviews

Ben Walpoth (3 years ago)
Old roman amphitheater in Avenches. It is definitely worth a visit!

Hansjürg Hürzeler (4 years ago)
Great mixture of ancient and well explained

Nuno Martins (4 years ago)
Great example of the Roman empire, here in the ancient Aventicum

Guy Romagnoli (4 years ago)
Old Romain Town, nice little place and good restaurants

Prince Dziwornu (4 years ago)
Lovely place. Highly recommended

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Zvonimir Hrvoj

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Church of St Donatus

The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.

The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.

Avenches Amphitheatre

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