2 weeks in France-5-26 to 6/8/2022

3 Days in Lyon, France-5/26/2022 to 5/28/2022

Day 2- Ancient Theatre of Fourvière-5/27/2022

This ancient theatre of Fourvière, first built under the reign of Roman Emperor Tiberius, around 19AD, was also known as the Amphitheatre des Trois Gaules. Its main purpose was to serve as the Sanctuary of the Three Gauls – an administrative institution set to federalize and Romanize Gallia as an Imperial province.

Other than that, the theatre was used, as were all such places in Roman times, as a place for entertainment. Theatrical plays were put on here along with gladiator fights and other public events. The theatre was also used for public executions.

We are on the upper ground the theatre is below.

The original amphitheater wasn’t very large; it had room for just about 1,800 spectators. The basement was made up of three elliptical walls joined by cross-walls and a channel around the oval central space.

Around 230 AD the theatre was enlarged, added with two new galleries, which brought the seating space up to 20,000.

At the end of the Gallo-Roman era the theatre was abandoned and fell into ruin, with parts of it being built on.

Nowadays, the theatre is primarily a tourist site, but it is still used as a cultural venue. Each year, the Nuits de Fourvière festival takes place in the theatre.

Nearby ruins thought to be a Roman Temple dedicated to the goddess Cybele.

More view of the ruins.

History of the theatre.

Huge park next to the theatre.

An old arch way

We are now going down the stairs to the park

Lots more ruins around the theatre.

We are now leaving the theatre.  View from street level.

Streets of Lyon

Since we took the funicular to go up the hill, we decided to walk down the hill by taking small streets.

Steeps stairs going down hill.

Really pretty streets.

We are now in the center on the Old Lyon.

Lots of restaurants and also lots of people around.

Place Neuve Saint Jean, one of the busy street.

A Vietnamese restaurant opened since 1977

This area is too touristy so we are going further back.

Lots of Bouchon Lyonnais.

NEXT.... Day 2-Lunch in the Old Lyon