Arles, a region with a rich history, was originally established by the Greeks at "Theline" in the 6th century B.C. It later came under Roman rule and was then known as "Arelate", when it became a town of considerable importance, possessing the southernmost bridge on the Rhone River.
In the 5th and 6th Centuries, its prominance peaked when Emporers used it to conduct military campaigns from it as their headquarters. It was a favorite of Emporer Constantine I. In the 8th Century it was overtaken by the Muslim Saracens and the Franks, when it became the capital city of the Kingdom of Arles.
In the 12th Century, the Romans again returned and in 1378, when the Kindom of Arles ended, it was ceded to King Charles XI of France. The arrival of the railway in the 19th Century caused the river trade to fade and it became a backwater which preserved the old town with its Roman theater and Roman arena.
In 1888, Van Gogh arrived in Arles. Strolling around Arles today, you can't avoid being swept up by its history and its Roman and medieval architectural elements. While it functions as a modern city today, there are clues into its past just about everywhere you look. The faces on the capitals of the columns are part of the riches of Bible stories told in stone in the beautiful cloister of the Eglise St. Trophime.
In the 5th and 6th Centuries, its prominance peaked when Emporers used it to conduct military campaigns from it as their headquarters. It was a favorite of Emporer Constantine I. In the 8th Century it was overtaken by the Muslim Saracens and the Franks, when it became the capital city of the Kingdom of Arles.
In the 12th Century, the Romans again returned and in 1378, when the Kindom of Arles ended, it was ceded to King Charles XI of France. The arrival of the railway in the 19th Century caused the river trade to fade and it became a backwater which preserved the old town with its Roman theater and Roman arena.
In 1888, Van Gogh arrived in Arles. Strolling around Arles today, you can't avoid being swept up by its history and its Roman and medieval architectural elements. While it functions as a modern city today, there are clues into its past just about everywhere you look. The faces on the capitals of the columns are part of the riches of Bible stories told in stone in the beautiful cloister of the Eglise St. Trophime.
No comments:
Post a Comment