Roman Theater of Lugdunum (Lyon)
N 45° 45.586 E 004° 49.193
31T E 641525 N 5068967
The large Roman theater was built around 15 B.C. and is one of the oldest in Gaul.
Waymark Code: WM2BBC
Location: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Date Posted: 10/06/2007
Views: 145
For three centuries, this quarter was at the center of the collective life of the city. It was abandonned in the 3rd century A.D. Little by little, the monuments, used as quarries disappeared from the landscape. Their remains were brought to light and restored during the course of the first half of the 20th century.
In 177 A.D., the Christian community of Lyon underwent persecution as described in a letter which the Christians of Vienne and Lyon addressed then to their brothers in Asia minor. It tells us that six martyrs perished in an amphitheater. For several centuries, the search for this memorable place constituted a central problem for Lyon archeology. Eventually, the two monuments (Theater and Odeon) built on the slopes of the Fourviere hill, only partially explored, would pass for the amphitheater sought after. It was to definately resolve this question that in 1933, their complete excavation was undertaken. In the end, it was two edifices in the form of a half circle which were brought to light.
As for the amphitheater, it was constructed on the slopes of the Croix-Rousse hill.
The Grand Theater’s original design encompassed 89 meters in diameter and held two tiers with each tier seating 4500 audience members. Both an upper covered walkway and a lower walkway were later converted to create a third and fourth tier of seats, bringing the capacity to 10 000 people.
Most Relevant Historical Period: Roman Empire > 27 B.C.
Admission Fee: Free
Opening days/times:
24/7
Web Site: [Web Link]
Condition: Partly intact or reconstructed
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