Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls

The Sanctuary of the Three Gauls, which the 60 Gallic tribes assembled at Lugdunum to commemorate, included the Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls (also known as the Amphithéâtre des Trois Gaules in French). It was designated as a monument historique in 1961.

Formerly known as Lugdunum in Roman times, Lyon. The Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls is believed to have been built in 19 AD and was funded by a long-established Gallic family with Roman citizenship, despite the fact that the city was founded circa 44 BC. The term "Three Gauls" refers to the principal provinces of Gaul at the period, Belgica, Aquitania, and Lugdunensis, the capital of which was Lugdunum.

The theater, which could hold 1,800 people, was a gathering place for representatives of the 60 Gallic tribes and hosted events related to the imperial worship. In the course of the persecution of Christians at the time, it is believed that some Christians were killed in the second century AD at the Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls.

Only a little portion of the Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls is still visible today; the remainder has been virtually consumed by the new highways and structures that surround it. What is still there comprises a portion of its walls, its northern entrance, and some of its foundations, all of which are accessible to the public for independent exploration.

Location: 69001 Lyon, France