Fountain Sanctuary

We’ll stop here for a moment. You’re standing between the two garden basins, which actually form the first natural spring of the city. The first inhabitants of Nîmes settled around this spring in the 6th century BC. Back then, the spring was already the site of a major religious cult. The cult was dedicated to Nemausus, the city’s patron god. This was therefore a sacred site, which was taken over by the Romans in honour of the emperor Augustus. They built the pond, the stone steps and a temple that no longer exists today. Augustus was the first ever Roman emperor. He ruled the Roman Empire from 27 BC. Contrary to popular belief, Julius Caesar was not the first emperor, as he did not bear that title, but was instead known as a dictator. Technically, Caesar reigned at the time of the Roman Republic, just before it became an Empire. Augustus was therefore considered to be the first emperor, and his name was subsequently used to designate all subsequent emperors. So when people worshipped Augustus, they were worshipping the emperor who was in power. Sites called Augusteum were even built as sanctuaries dedicated to imperial worship. This is the case of the site that has now become the Fountain Gardens. At that time, it featured numerous pools and monuments, and was completely enclosed, with a single entrance leading into the city. What remains today is the Nymphaeum, the monument in the centre of the basin. On your right is the Temple of Diana and the Magne Tower, which was used as a defensive structure. The Romans transformed this spring into one of the city’s most important sites. However, when the Empire collapsed, the site was abandoned and buried. Nevertheless, the water from the spring continued to be used to supply the city’s inhabitants, especially to keep the workshops of dyers and other trades running. The remains of the sanctuary were then rediscovered in the 18th century, and it was decided to turn the site into a large strolling garden, where visitors could admire the ancient remains. I’ll let you enjoy this sacred site before going on to visit the Magne Tower.