Arles 79494 223593067 2008-07-04T19:59:01Z Lightbot 7178666 Units/dates/other {{French commune |nomcommune=Arles<br />[[Image:arlesarenes.png|280px]]<br /><small>The Roman arena in Arles</small> |région=[[Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur]] |image_map = France_jms.png |x = 178 |y = 207 |département=[[Bouches-du-Rhône]]<br />([[Subprefectures in France|Subprefecture]]) |arrondissement=Arles |canton=Chief town of 2 cantons: [[Canton of Arles-Est|Arles-Est]] and [[canton of Arles-Ouest|Arles-Ouest]] |insee=13004 |cp=13200 |maire=[[Hervé Schiavetti]] |party=[[Socialist Party (France)|PCF]] |mandat=2001-2008 |intercomm=[[Agglomeration community of Arles-Crau-Camargue-Montagnette]] |lat_long={{coor dms|43|40|41|N|04|37|46|E}} |alt moy=10 m |alt mini=0 m |alt maxi=57 m |hectares=75,893 |km²=758.93 |sans= 52,600 |date-sans=2005 |dens=66 |date-dens=2005}} {{Infobox World Heritage Site | WHS = Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments | Image = [[Image:Arles Roman theater pillar ruins.jpg|300px|Ruins at the Roman theatre.]] | State Party = {{FRA}} | Type = Cultural | Criteria = ii, iv | ID = 164 | Region = [[List of World Heritage Sites in Europe|Europe and North America]] | Year = 1981 | Session = 5th | Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/164 }} ''This article is about the city in France. For the medieval kingdom see [[Kingdom of Arles]].'' '''Arles''' ([[Provençal]] [[Occitan]]: ''' ''Arles'' ''' in both classical and Mistralian norms) is a [[city]] in the south of [[France]], in the [[Bouches-du-Rhône]] [[Departments of France|department]], of which it is a [[Subprefectures in France|subprefecture]], in the former [[Provinces of France|province]] of [[Provence]]. ==Geography== The [[Rhône River|Rhône]] river forks into two branches just upstream of Arles, forming the [[Camargue]] [[River delta|delta]]. Because the Camargue is administratively part of Arles, the commune as a whole is the largest [[communes of France|commune]] in [[Metropolitan France]] in terms of territory, although its population is only slightly more than 50,000. Its area is 758.93 km², which is more than seven times the area of [[Paris]]. ==History== :''For the Ecclesiastical history see [[Archbishopric of Arles]]'' ===Roman Arles=== Arles was established by the [[Ancient Greece|Greeks]] as early as the 6th century BC under the name of ''Theline''. It was captured by the [[Celt]]ic [[Salyes|Salluvii]] in 535 BC, who renamed it to ''Arelate''. The [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] took the town in 123 BC and expanded it into an important city, with a canal link to the [[Mediterranean Sea]] being constructed in 104 BC. However, it struggled to escape the shadow of [[Massalia]] (Marseille) further along the coast. Its chance came when it sided with [[Julius Caesar]] against [[Pompey]], providing military support. Massalia backed Pompey; when Caesar emerged victorious, Massalia was stripped of its possessions, which were transferred to Arelate as a reward. The town was formally established as a colony for [[veterans]] of the [[Roman legion]] [[Legio VI Ferrata|Legio VI ''Ferrata'']], which had its base there. Its full title as a colony was ''Colonia Iulia Paterna Arelatensium Sextanorum'', "the ancestral Julian colony of Arles of the soldiers of the Sixth." ===Importance=== Roman Arelate was a city of considerable importance in the province of [[Gallia Narbonensis]]. It covered an area of some 99 acres (400,000 m²) and possessed a wide array of monuments, including [[Arles Amphitheatre|an amphitheatre]], [[triumphal arch]], [[Roman circus]], [[Roman theatre (structure)|theatre]] and a full circuit of walls. It was closer to the sea than it is now and served as a major port. It also had (and still has) the southernmost bridge on the Rhone. Very unusually, the Roman bridge was not fixed but used a pontoon-style [[bridge of boats]], with towers and drawbridges at each end. The boats were secured in place with anchors and by being tethered to twin towers built just upstream of the bridge. This unusual design was a way of coping with the river's frequent violent floods, which would have made short work of a conventional bridge. Nothing now remains of the Roman bridge, which has been replaced by a more modern bridge near the same spot. The city reached a peak of influence during the 4th and 5th centuries, when it was frequently used as headquarters for [[Roman Emperors]] during military campaigns. In 395 it became the seat of the [[Praetorian]] Prefecture of the [[Gaul]]s, governing the western part of the Western Empire: Gaul proper plus [[Hispania]] ([[Spain]]) and [[Armorica]] ([[Brittany]]). It became a favorite city of Emperor [[Constantine I]], who built [[Thermae|baths]] there, substantial remains of which are still standing. His son, [[Constantine II of the Roman Empire|Constantine II]], was born there. [[Roman usurper|Usurper]] [[Constantine III (usurper)|Constantine III]] declared himself emperor in the West (407–411) and made Arles his capital in 408. Arles became renowned as a cultural and religious centre during the late Roman Empire. It was the birthplace of the sceptical philosopher [[Favorinus]]. It was also a key location for Roman Christianity and an important base for the [[Christianization]] of Gaul. The city's [[bishopric]] was held by a series of outstanding clerics, beginning with [[Saint Trophimus]] around 225 and continuing with Saint Honoré, then [[Hilary of Arles|Saint Hilary]] in the first half of the 5th century. The political tension between the Catholic bishops of Arles and the [[Visigoths|Visigothic]] kings is epitomized in the career of the Frankish St [[Caesarius of Arles|Caesarius, bishop of Arles]] 503–542, who was suspected by the [[Arian]] Visigoth [[Alaric II]] of conspiring with the [[Burgundians]] to turn over the Arelate to Burgundy, and was exiled for a year to Bordeaux in Aquitaine, and again in 512 when Arles held out against [[Theodoric the Great]], Caesarius was imprisoned and sent to [[Ravenna]] to explain his actions before the [[Ostrogoths|Ostrogothic]] king.<ref>[http://www.ccel.org/w/wace/biodict/htm/iii.iii.iv.htm Wace, ''Dictionary''])</ref> The friction between the Arian Christianity of the [[Visigoths]] and the Catholicism of the bishops sent out from [[Rome]] established deep roots for religious [[heterodoxy]], even [[heresy]], in [[Occitan]] culture. At [[Treves]] in 385, [[Priscillian]] achieved the distinction of becoming the first Christian burned alive for [[heresy]] ([[Manichaean]] in his case, see also [[Cathar]]s, [[Camisards]]). Despite this tension and the city's decline in the face of [[barbarian]] invasions, Arles remained a great religious centre and host of church councils (see [[Council of Arles]]), the rival of [[Vienne, Isère|Vienne]], for hundreds of years. [[Image:sttrophimecloister.png|right|250px|thumb|Cloister of Saint Trophimus.]] ===Medieval Arles=== Arles was badly affected by the invasion of [[Provence]] by the [[Muslim]] [[Saracen]]s and the [[Franks]], who took control of the region in the 8th century. In 855 it was made the capital of a Frankish [[Kingdom of Arles]], which included [[Burgundy]] and part of Provence, but was frequently terrorised by Saracen and [[Viking]] raiders. In 888, Rodolphe, Count of [[Auxerre]] (now in north-western Burgundy), founded the kingdom of [[Bourgogne Transjurane]] (literally, beyond the Jura mountains), which included western Switzerland as far as the river Reuss, [[Valais]], [[Geneva]], [[Chablais]] and [[Bugey]]. In 933, [[Hugh of Arles]] ("Hugues de Provence") gave his kingdom up to Rodolphe II, who merged the two kingdoms into a new Kingdom of Arles. In 1032, King [[Rudolph III|Rodolphe III]] died, and the Kingdom was inherited by Emperor [[Conrad II]] the Salic. Though his successors counted themselves kings of Arles, few went to be crowned in the cathedral. Most of the territory of the Kingdom was progressively incorporated into France. During these troubled times, [[Arles Amphitheatre|the amphitheatre]] was converted into a fortress, with watchtowers built at each of the four quadrants and a minuscule [[walled town]] being constructed within. The population was by now only a fraction of what it had been in Roman times, with much of old Arles lying in ruins. The town regained political and economic prominence in the 12th century, with the Holy Roman Emperor [[Frederick Barbarossa]] traveling there in 1178 for his coronation. In the 12th century, it became a free city governed by an elected ''[[podestat]]'' (chief magistrate; literally "power"), who appointed the [[consuls]] and other magistrates. It retained this status until the [[French Revolution]] of 1789. Arles joined the countship of Provence in 1239 but suffered its prominence being eclipsed once more by Marseille. In 1378, the Holy Roman Emperor [[Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles IV]] ceded the remnants of the Kingdom of Arles to the [[Dauphin of France]] (later King [[Charles VI of France]]) and the Kingdom ceased to exist even on paper. ===Modern Arles=== [[Image:Arles-PlaceDuForum.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Place Du Forum in Arles today.]] Arles remained economically important for many years as a major port on the Rhône. The arrival of the railway in the 19th century eventually killed off much of the river trade, leading to the town becoming something of a backwater. [[Image:Vincent Willem van Gogh 015.jpg|thumb|right|250px|''[[Cafe Terrace at Night]]'' by [[Vincent Van Gogh]] (September 1888). It depicts the warmth of a [[café]] in Arles.]] This made it an attractive destination for the painter [[Vincent van Gogh]], who arrived there on [[21 February]] [[1888]]. He was fascinated by the Provençal landscapes, producing over 300 paintings and drawings during his time in Arles. Many of his most famous paintings were completed there, including ''[[The Night Cafe]]'', the ''[[Bedroom in Arles|Yellow Room]]'', ''[[Starry Night Over the Rhone]]'', and ''[[L'Arlésienne (painting)|L'Arlésienne]]''. [[Paul Gauguin]] visited van Gogh in Arles. However, van Gogh's mental health deteriorated and he became alarmingly eccentric, culminating in the infamous ear-severing incident in December 1888. The concerned Arlesians circulated a petition the following February demanding that van Gogh be confined. In May 1889 he took the hint and left Arles for the asylum at nearby [[Saint-Rémy-de-Provence]]. ==Main sights== Arles has important remains of Roman times, which have been listed as [[World Heritage Sites]] since 1981. They include: * The '''[[Roman theatre (structure)|Roman theater]]''' * The arena or '''[[Arles Amphitheatre|amphitheater]]''' * The '''[[Alyscamps]]''' (Roman [[necropolis]]) * The '''[[Thermae]] of Constantine''' * The '''[[cryptoporticus]] '''(currently closed to the public) The '''[[Church of St. Trophime]]''' ([[Saint Trophimus]]), formerly a [[cathedral]], is a major work of [[Romanesque architecture]], and the representation of the [[Last Judgment]] on its portal is considered one of the finest examples of Romanesque sculpture, as are the columns in the adjacent [[cloister]]. [[Image:SaintTrophimeCloisterColumnCapital.png|thumb|right|250px|Capital of column in St. Trophime cloister.]] The town also has an outstanding museum of ancient history, the [[Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence antiques]], with one of the best collections of Roman [[sarcophagi]] to be found anywhere outside Rome itself. Another museum is the [[Museon Arlaten]]. However, perhaps surprisingly given the town's importance to van Gogh, none of his works are on display in Arles. ==Archaeology== [[Image:buste cesar.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Marble portrait bust of an unknown person, found in the [[Rhone River]] near [[Arles]], [[France]].<ref>The identification as Julius Caesar is strongly disputed (''see below'').</ref>]] {{main|Arles portrait bust}} In September-October 2007 divers led by Luc Long from the French Department of Subaquatic Archaeological Research, headed by Michel L'Hour, discovered a life-sized marble bust of an apparently important Roman person in the [[Rhone River]] near Arles, together with smaller statues of [[Marsyas]] in hellenistic style and of the god [[Neptune (mythology)|Neptune]] from the third century AD. The larger bust was tentatively dated to 46 BC. Since the bust displayed several characteristics of an ageing person with wrinkles, deep naso-labial creases and hollows in his face, and since the archaeologists believed that [[Julius Caesar]] had founded the colony ''Colonia Iulia Paterna Arelate Sextanorum'' in 46 BC, the scientists came to the preliminary conclusion that the bust depicted a life-portrait of the Roman dictator: France's Minister of Culture [[Christine Albanel]] reported on May 13, 2008, that the bust would be the oldest representation of Caesar known today.<ref>[http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/actualites/communiq/albanel/cesarles08.htm Original communique] (May 13, 2008); [http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/actualites/communiq/albanel/arles200508.htm second communique] (May 20, 2008); [http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/actualites/index-com.html report] (May 20, 2008)</ref> The story was picked up by all larger media outlets.<ref>E.g. [http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/05/14/caesar.bust.ap/index.html, "Divers find marble bust of Caesar that may date to 46 B.C."], CNN-Online ''et al.''</ref><ref>[http://programmes.france3.fr/des-racines-et-des-ailes/index-fr.php?page=emission&id_article=89 Video (QuickTime)] on the archaeological find (France 3)</ref> The realism of the portrait was said to place it in the tradition of late Republican portrait and genre sculptures. The archaeologists further claimed that a bust of Julius Caesar might have been thrown away or discreetly disposed of, because Caesar's portraits could have been viewed as politically dangerous possessions after the dictator's assassination. Historians and archaeologists not affiliated with the French administration, among them the renowned archaeologist and expert on Caesar and [[Augustus]] Paul Zanker, were quick to point out that the bust is not a portrait of Caesar.<ref>Paul Zanker, [http://www.sueddeutsche.de/,ra16m1/wissen/special/67/174544/index.html/wissen/artikel/74/176540/article.html "Der Echte war energischer, distanzierter, ironischer"], ''Sueddeutsche Zeitung'', May 25, 2008, on-line</ref><ref>[[Mary Beard (classicist)|Mary Beard]], [http://timesonline.typepad.com/dons_life/2008/05/the-face-of-jul.html"The face of Julius Caesar? Come off it!", [[Times Literary Supplement|''TLS'']], May 14, 2008, on-line]</ref><ref>Nathan T. Elkins, [http://coinarchaeology.blogspot.com/2008/05/oldest-bust-of-julius-caesar-found-in.html 'Oldest Bust' of Julius Caesar found in France?], May 14, 2008, on-line</ref> Many noted the lack of resemblances to Caesar's likenesses issued on coins during the last years of the dictator's life, and to the Tusculum-bust of Caesar,<ref>Cp. this [http://www.aeria.phil.uni-erlangen.de/photo_html/portraet/roemisch/republik/benannt/caesar/caesar5.JPG image] at the ''AERIA'' library</ref> which depicts Julius Caesar in his lifetime, either as a so-called ''zeitgesicht'' or as a direct portrait. After a further stylistic assessment Zanker dated the Arles-bust to the Augustan period. Elkins pointed out the third century AD as the ''terminus post quem'' for the deposition of the statues, thereby refuting the claim that the bust was thrown away due to feared repercussions from Caesar's assassination in 44 BC.<ref>A different approach was presented by Mary Beard in that members of a military Caesarian colony would not have discarded portraits of Caesar, whom they worshipped as god, although statues were in fact destroyed by the Anti-Caesarians in the city of Rome after Caesar's assassination ([[Appian]], ''BC'' III.1.9).</ref> The main argument by the French archaeologists that Caesar had founded the colony in 46 BC proved to be incorrect, as the colony was founded by Caesar's former [[quaestor]] [[Tiberius Nero|Tiberius Claudius Nero]] on the dictator's orders in his absence.<ref>Konrat Ziegler & Walther Sontheimer (eds.), "Arelate", in ''Der Kleine Pauly: Lexikon der Antike'', Vol. 1, col. 525, Munich 1979; in 46 BC Caesar himself was campaigning in Africa, before later returning to Rome.</ref> Mary Beard has accused the persons involved in the find to have wilfully invented their claims for publicity reasons. The French ministry of culture has not yet responded to the criticism and negative reviews. [[Image:sttrophimeportal.png|right|thumb|250px|Portal of Saint Trophimus cathedral.]] [[Image:Alyscamps van gogh.jpg|right|250px|thumb|''[[Les Alyscamps, Falling Autumn Leaves]]'', [[Vincent van Gogh]], 1888.]] [[Image:Arlesmarketgarlicstand.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Garlic stand in the Arles street market.]] [[Image:ArlesiensInCostume.jpg|thumb|250px|Arlésiennes in costume.]] [[Image:arlesviewwithrhone.png|thumb|right|250px|View of the city center, with the Rhone in the background.]] [[Image:arlesarena.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Roman arena, inside view.]] ==Miscellaneous== The ''Arlésiens'' (citizens of Arles) were noted for distinctive traditional dress which is now worn publicly at certain festivals and occasions. A famous [[photography]] festival takes place in Arles every year, and the French national school of photography is located there. The major French publishing house [[Actes Sud]] is also situated in Arles. The film ''[[Ronin (movie)|Ronin]]'' was partially filmed in Arles. [[Bull fighting|Bull fight]]s are conducted in the [[Arles Amphitheatre|Roman amphitheater]], including Provencal-style bullfights (''courses camarguaises'') in which the bull is not killed but rather a team of athletic men attempt to remove a tassle from the bull's horn without getting injured. Every Easter and on the first weekend of September, Arles also holds Spanish-style ''[[bullfighting|corridas]]'' (in which the bulls ''are'' killed) with an ''[[encierro]]'' (bull-running in the streets) preceding each fight. Arles's open-air street market is a major market in the region. It occurs on Saturday and Wednesday mornings. [[Image:Arlesmarketspicestand.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Spice stand in the Arles street market.]] ===People=== * The Provençal poet [[Frédéric Mistral]] (1830-1914) was born near Arles. * [[Jeanne Calment]] (1875-1997), the oldest human being whose age is documented, was born, lived and died in Arles. * [[Christian Lacroix]], fashion designer, was born in Arles. * Current [[France national football team|French international]] [[football (soccer)|soccer]] star [[Djibril Cissé]] was born in Arles. * [[Genesius of Arles]], a [[Civil law notary|notary]] [[martyred]] under [[Maximian]]us in 303 or 308. * Juan Bautista, [[matador]]. * Mehdi Savalli, [[matador]]. ===Twin towns=== Arles is twinned with: * {{flagicon|RUS}} [[Pskov]], [[Russia]] * {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Jerez de la Frontera]], [[Spain]] * {{flagicon|GER}} [[Fulda]], [[Germany]] * {{flagicon|USA}} [[York, Pennsylvania]], [[United States of America|USA]] * {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Cubelles]], [[Spain]] * {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Vercelli]], [[Italy]] * {{flagicon|Mauritania}} [[Sagné]], [[Mauritania]] * {{flagicon|GRE}} [[Kalymnos]], [[Greece]] * {{flagicon|UK}} [[Wisbech]], [[United Kingdom]] * {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Zhouzhuang]], [[China]] * {{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Verviers]], [[Belgium]] ==See also== * [[Archbishopric of Arles]] * [[Montmajour Abbey]] * [[Trinquetaille]] * [[Saint-Martin-de-Crau]] ==Sources and external links== *{{Catholic}} {{commons|Arles|Arles}} * [http://www.tourisme.ville-arles.fr/ Tourist office website] * [http://www.patrimoine.ville-arles.fr/ Arles heritage website](in French) * [http://www.ville-arles.fr/portail/ Town council website] (in French) * [http://www.ancientroute.com/cities/arles.htm Early history] * [http://www.arles-antique.cg13.fr/mapa_cg13/root/index.htm Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence antiques] * [http://www.vggallery.com/ The Complete Works of Van Gogh, Arles] * [http://www.claudetravels.altervista.org/VdR/Arles/gal.html Photogallery of Arles] * [http://www.oldstratforduponavon.com/arles A Few Views of Arles in Old Postcards] ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Bouches-du-Rhône communes}} {{World Heritage Sites in France}} [[Category:Arles| ]] [[Category:Communes of Bouches-du-Rhône]] {{Link FA|af}} [[af:Arles]] [[an:Arlet]] [[br:Arle]] [[bg:Арл]] [[ca:Arle]] [[ceb:Arles]] [[cs:Arles]] [[da:Arles]] [[de:Arles]] [[el:Αρλ]] [[es:Arlés]] [[eo:Arles]] [[fr:Arles]] [[gl:Arles]] [[hr:Arles]] [[id:Arles]] [[it:Arles]] [[he:ארל]] [[la:Arelate]] [[hu:Arles]] [[nl:Arles]] [[ja:アルル]] [[no:Arles]] [[nn:Arles]] [[oc:Arle]] [[pl:Arles]] [[pt:Arles]] [[ro:Arles]] [[ru:Арль]] [[scn:Arles]] [[simple:Arles]] [[sl:Arles]] [[sr:Арл (град)]] [[fi:Arles]] [[sv:Arles]] [[vi:Arles]] [[uk:Арль]] [[vec:Arles]] [[vo:Arles]] [[zh:亞爾]]