GHIRA AYWA - RAGHEB ALAMA ¤ GIORGIO @ NÎMES 2008

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Nîmes (Provençal Occitan: Nimes in both classical and Mistralian norms) is a city and commune of southern France. It is the préfecture (capital) of the Gard département. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination. The city derives its name from that of a spring, Nemausus, in the Roman village. The contemporary symbol and shield of the city of Nîmes includes a crocodile chained to a palm tree with the inscription 'COLNEM', an abbreviation of 'Colonia Nemausus', meaning the 'colony' or 'settlement' of Nemausus. Veterans of the Roman legions who had served Julius Caesar in his Nile campaigns, at the end of fifteen years of soldiering, were given plots of land to cultivate on the plain of Nîmes. Nîmes was located on the Via Domitia, a Roman road constructed in 118 BC, connecting Italy to Spain. Nîmes may have been one of the richest and finest Roman cities of Gaul. Several important remains of the Roman Empire can still be seen in and around Nîmes: The elliptical Roman amphitheatre, of the 1st or 2nd century AD, is the best-preserved Roman arena in France. It was filled with medieval housing, when its walls served as ramparts, but they were cleared under Napoleon. It is still used today as a bull fighting and concert arena. The Maison Carrée (Square House), a small Roman temple dedicated to sons of Agrippa was built c. 19 BC. It is one of the best-preserved Roman temples anywhere. The 18th-century Jardins de la Fontaine (Gardens of the Fountain) The nearby Pont du Gard, also built by Agrippa, is a well-preserved aqueduct that used to carry water across the small Gardon river valley. The nearby Mont Cavalier is crowned by the Tour Magne ("Great Tower"), a ruined Roman tower.[3] Later monuments include: The cathedral (dedicated to Saint Castor of Apt, a native of the city), occupying, it is believed, the site of the temple of Augustus, is partly Romanesque and partly Gothic in style. [Cathedral:[1],[2],[3] There is modern architecture at Nîmes too: Norman Foster conceived the Carré d'art (1986), a museum of modern art and mediatheque; Jean Nouvel the Nemausus, a post-modern residential ensemble, and Kisho Kurokawa a building in the form of a hemicycle to reflect the Amphitheatre. Tree-shaded boulevards trace the foundations of its former city walls. Lisbon Trams and Funiculars Transportation in Lisbon is more charming than in most cities. Much is owed to its geography; much of Lisbon has been built on its seven hills. No visit to Lisbon is complete without riding the 1930s trams. The greatest attractions, though, are the funiculars, of which there are three. These are Elevador da Glória, Elevador da Bica, and Elevador da Lavra. Perhaps the most picturesque is the Elevador da Bica, which passes through a charming residential neighborhood just below Bairro Alto

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Category: Travel
Uploaded: May 15th, 2008 @ 2:23 am
Author: gchcorp

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