Summer Garden

You’ve reached the Summer Garden of Arles, which stands between the Boulevard des Lices and the Roman Theater. This leafy park was designed in the 19th century to complement the ancient theater. Spanning some 10,000 m², it beckons visitors to relax and daydream. Here, you’ll find exotic tree species, shady paths and statues, including a tribute to Van Gogh by American sculptor William Earl Singer. The fountain in front of you features a statue by Hippolyte Lefebvre. It shows Niobe, daughter of Tantalus, crying over the slaughter of her children. According to Greek mythology, Niobe gave Zeus many offspring and boasted that she was more fertile than Leto, another of Zeus’ mistresses, who bore him Apollo and Artemis. Outraged at being mocked, the latter killed every last Niobid with their arrows. Niobe, their mother, screamed and wept so hard that Zeus took pity on her and turned her into stone, from which flowed a spring born of all her tears.