National Park Trust Institute

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Thursday, May 4, 2000 found us heading for the city of Arles to visit the Roman sights. The first inhabitants of Arles were probably the Greeks, however the Romany left a stronger mark, constructing the theater and amphitheater that remain today. Julius Caesar established a Romans colony in 46 BC and Arles has preserved many monuments, of which the amphitheater and the cryptoporticus are the most notable.

Around Arles, where he found the sun and the pure air exalting, the Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) reached the apex of his art. Bathed in the excessive yet serene light of Provence, he learned to orchestrate the "golden tones of all hues" and freed himself in an explosion of color.

After lunch, we had a visit to the Hotel de Sade (Archeology Museum) where we saw many of the ancient Roman artifacts.

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