les Arènes de Nîmes dates from the 1st century. The exterior is quite well-maintained, and the interior is open to visitors for exploration.

http://www.globalphotos.org/nimes/20081007/IMG_0088.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/nimes/20081007/IMG_0086.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/nimes/20081007/IMG_0092.jpg

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A self-guided tour is available to venture around the amphitheatre, and re-live the days of old when so much blood was spilled within these walls - human and animal.

http://www.globalphotos.org/nimes/20081007/IMG_0126.jpg

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http://www.globalphotos.org/nimes/20081007/IMG_0142.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/nimes/20081007/IMG_0144.jpg

Why is there a clock there?

http://www.globalphotos.org/nimes/20081007/IMG_0149.jpg

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I risked my life and peered off the side to see what the rest of the city looks like.

http://www.globalphotos.org/nimes/20081007/IMG_0200.jpg

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They were used as tennis venue for Davis cup

more pics....


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3380/3335770680_62faa989e6_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3589/3335770554_286d175228_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3543/3335673713_786f487f02_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3378/3340937397_b949156a79_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3629/3341015569_48e5485b53_o.jpg

AMAZING!!!

pretty amazing structure. And still in use!

this is to me the second largest arena from that era that i've seen (after the one in Rome).

Yesterday in the MetallicarenA of Nimes :lol:

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/7663/metallica1n.jpg
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/3103/3700758356eb3d61d200.jpg
http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/7642/image1xcz.jpg

Awesome!!! I can't believe it is still in use after all these past centuries. Great engineering and architecture :cheers: