Fouilles de Glanum
MonumentHidden Treasure
Fouilles de Glanum, located in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône), is a historic monument. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Location
- Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 43.7733, 4.8329
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00081444
Buried at the foot of the Alpilles mountains, Glanum reveals three millennia of overlapping civilisations: Greek sanctuaries, Roman forum and thermal baths - an ancient town that is an absolute rarity in France.
History
In the heart of Provence, just a few minutes from the centre of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, the archaeological site of Glanum is one of the most extraordinary journeys back in time that Mediterranean France has to offer. Nestling in a wooded valley in the Alpilles, this ancient city reveals, over a distance of less than a kilometre, the successive strata of three great civilisations: the Celtic-Ligurian Gauls, the Greeks of Marseille (Massalia) and the Romans. Such an archaeological palimpsest is extremely rare in Western Europe. What makes Glanum truly unique is the exceptional legibility of its remains. Unlike many ancient sites, which have been reduced to vague foundations, Glanum has preserved significant elevated structures: peristyle houses whose columns still stand, baths whose rooms still show their original layout, and a paved decumanus maximus where the ruts dug by chariots can still be seen. The sacred Hellenistic fountain at the heart of the sanctuary is a reminder that the site's religious vocation predates the Roman conquest by several centuries. The visit takes place in the open air, in a natural setting of striking beauty. The golden limestone stands out against the dark green of the umbrella pines and the sharp silhouette of the Alpilles mountains. On a clear day, the Provençal light gives the ruins an almost theatrical presence. Visitors can wander freely over the very paving stones that the citizens of Glanum walked on, past the shops of the forum, and stop in front of the pools of the thermal baths - an immersive experience that the biggest indoor museums can't match. Right at the entrance to the site stand the Antiques: a mausoleum of the Julii and a municipal arch, both exceptionally well preserved, provide a monumental appetiser before diving into the excavations themselves. These two buildings, visible from the road, are among the best-preserved Roman monuments in France and have been listed since the 19th century. The nearby site museum houses some of the most precious items unearthed during the excavation campaigns: sculptures, votive inscriptions, sigillated ceramics and coins. Glanum is just as much a place for curious families as it is for antique enthusiasts and photographers in search of timeless shots. The proximity of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a lively market town with a wealth of Provencal gastronomy, makes a visit to Glanum a memorable day out in the heart of the Alpilles.
Architecture
Glanum's architectural stratigraphy is divided into three major superimposed phases, all of which are clearly visible when you visit the site. The Celto-Greek period (3rd-1st century BC) is represented by the sanctuary of the spring, with its basins carved from local limestone, its columned porticoes and its bouleuterion - a semi-circular tiered council chamber reminiscent of Greek ekklésiastèria. The materials used are exclusively local: beige limestone from the Alpilles massif, carved with remarkable precision. The Imperial Roman phase saw the construction of a large paved forum, public baths organised according to the classic circuit (apodyterium, frigidarium, tepidarium, caldarium) and houses with atrium, some of which still have their thresholds and drainage pipes. The two external buildings, the Antiques, illustrate the quality of Augustan sculpture: the arch with a single fornix is decorated with foliage and chained prisoners in high relief, while the mausoleum of the Julii - the only Roman mausoleum of this type so well preserved in France - articulates over eighteen metres a podium, a tier of mythological reliefs, a tholos with Corinthian columns and a vault housing two toga statues. The entire site is laid out in a typically Roman orthogonal plan, oriented north-south, with a cardo and decumanus structuring the urban space. The almost continuous presence of water - canals, pools, sacred fountain - is a distinctive feature of Glanum compared with other Gallo-Roman sites, inherited from the site's original hydrological vocation.
Related Figures
Auguste — empereur romain sous lequel Glanum connaît sa plus grande phase de reconstruction et de monumentalisation (Ier siècle avant J.-C.)Les Julii — famille de notables gallo-romains ayant fait ériger le célèbre mausolée à l'entrée de Glanum, probablement affranchis ou descendants de citoyens romainsHenri Rolland — archéologue français qui dirige les fouilles de Glanum de 1921 à 1969, révélant au monde la ville enfouieJules César — dont la politique de romanisation de la Narbonnaise favorise l'essor de cités comme Glanum au Ier siècle avant J.-C.Nostradamus — natif de Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, il grandit à quelques centaines de mètres des Antiques de Glanum, monuments qui marquèrent son imaginaireAlbert Grenier — archéologue et historien de l'art romain qui contribue à la documentation et à la valorisation scientifique du site dans la première moitié du XXe siècle
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Fouilles de Glanum located?
Fouilles de Glanum is located in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France.
Is Fouilles de Glanum open to visitors?
Fouilles de Glanum is currently closed to visitors.