Amphithéâtre des Trois Gaules

The Amphithéâtre des Trois Gaules is an archaeological site on the slopes of the Croix-Rousse hill, near Rue Lucien Sportisse in Lyon's 1st arrondissement, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. It was part of the federal sanctuary of the Three Gauls, founded in 12 BC by the Roman authorities as a place where delegates from the Gallic provinces met and honoured the emperor. The amphitheatre was built in the early first century AD and is best known as the place where Christian martyrs, including Blandine and Pothin, were put to death in AD 177 during the persecution under Marcus Aurelius, an event that gave Lyon an early place in Christian history. What survives today is a partial section of the arena and some of the tiers, preserved in a small public garden and excavated in the 20th century. It is not as imposing as the Roman theatres on the Fourvière hill, but the stones and the outline of the oval arena let visitors picture the original structure. Entry is free and the site is open air, and a visit takes about 20 to 30 minutes. The Jardin des Plantes next door, on the same slope, provides shade, terraces and views and makes a pleasant addition. The best vantage point is from the upper edge of the remains, looking across the curve of the arena, and photographers find soft light in the morning and late afternoon. The site is rarely crowded. It can be reached on foot in about 10 minutes uphill from the Croix-Paquet metro station on line C, or by metro C to Croix-Rousse and then a walk downhill.