The temple of Diana, an ancient monument to discover in the heart of the garden

Name: The temple of Diana, an ancient monument to discover in the heart of the garden
Start: 2023-09-16T07:30:00+02:00
End: 2023-09-17T20:00:00+02:00
Location: Jardins de la fontaine

Considered today as a romantic ruin, we do not know its true function in the ancient sanctuary: library? Cult hall? Maybe both....

16 and 17 September 2023Passed

Conditions

Free. Free entrance.

©Ville de Nîmes

Considered today as a romantic ruin, we do not know its true function in the ancient sanctuary: library? Cult hall? Maybe both. We must admire the large vault thrown above our heads, the rhythm of the niches along the walls or the finesse of some carved coffers, at the back of the room. One may also be surprised by the abundance of graffiti engraved or traced with iron oxide, testimonies of the passage of the companions of duty during their tour of France.

About the location

Jardins de la fontaine

26 Quai de la Fontaine, 30000 Nîmes

Gard
Occitanie

Decorated with vases and statues, the gardens of the fountain are among the first public gardens in Europe. They were created in the eighteenth century on the ancient site of the Source which integrates the Magne Tower and the temple of Diana.
In the 19th century, the embellishments of Nîmes were numerous, but the great work of that time was the creation of the gardens of the fountain by Jacques-Philippe Mareschal, military engineer of the king, amply assisted by the Nîmes architect Pierre Dardailhon. Work to regulate the flow of water from the spring led to the discovery of a Roman site abandoned since the Middle Ages.
Even today, the Jardins de la Fontaine are the favourite place to walk in Nîmes.