Gate of Augustus

This is the Gate of Augustus, a landmark of Nîmes’ heritage! Also known as Arles Gate, it is an ancient remnant of the walls that surrounded the town in Roman times, and dates back to the 1st century BC! With two large arcades to let in carts and two smaller ones on either side for pedestrians, it was one of the ten gates that allowed residents to enter the city. Nemausus, now knwon as Nîmes, was surrounded by a wall almost 7km long, 9 metres high and 2 metres wide. Nowadays, only two of these gates can still be seen in Nîmes, the one before you and the France Gate. The Gate of Augustus was undoubtedly one of the main gates, since the Via Domitia, the Roman road linking Italy to the Iberian Peninsula, passed through it. This fortified enclosure was also flanked by more than 80 towers, designed to protect the city from enemy attacks. As you will see, many of the city’s buildings are listed as historic monument. Further along the gate, you will see a statue of Augustus. You will also notice that there is a difference in level and that the gate is deeper in the ground: remember that the Roman city, that once stood here 2000 years ago, was 1 metre lower than the current ground level. Impressive, isn’t it?