Arènes de Lutèce

Overview

Hidden completely from the street behind residential apartment blocks in the Latin Quarter lies the Arènes de Lutèce. It is the astonishing, partially ruined remains of a 1st-century Roman amphitheater sitting quietly within a heavily used public park.

Highlights

• The Arena Floor: Stand in the massive, sandy central elliptical arena where heavily armed gladiators and wild animals once fought for the entertainment of 15,000 spectators.
• The Terraces: Climb the restored stone seating tiers built directly into the hillside of Mount Lucotitius.
• The Animal Cages: You can still see the dark, recessed stone alcoves at the arena level where lions and bears were kept before the games.

History

Dating from roughly 100 AD, it was the absolute entertainment epicenter of the Roman city of Lutetia (the ancient predecessor to Paris). Following the fall of the Roman Empire, it was completely buried and forgotten for over a thousand years. It was accidentally rediscovered in the 1860s during Haussmann's construction of the Rue Monge.

Visitor Tips

• Local Life: Today, the bloody arena floor is mostly used by local Parisian men intensely playing competitive games of pétanque (boules).
• Entrances: The most dramatic way to enter is through the dark, arched passageway located at 49 Rue Monge.
• Duration: 15–20 minutes.