Arles Amphitheatre

The Arles Amphitheatre is a 2-tiered Roman amphitheatre located in the southern French town of Arles. Built in 90 AD, the amphitheatre was capable of seating over 20,000 spectators, and was built to provide entertainment in the form of chariot races and bloody hand-to-hand battles. Today, it draws large crowds for bullfighting as well as plays and concerts in summer.
The amphitheatre measures 136 m by 109 m and features an oval arena surrounded by terraces, arcades on two levels, bleachers, a system of galleries, drainage system in many corridors of access and staircases for a quick exit from the crowd. It held gladiator games for more than 4 centuries. After the fall of the empire in the 5th century, the amphitheatre became a shelter for the population and was transformed into a fortress with 4 towers. More than 200 houses were constructed within turning it into a real town, with a public square built in the centre of the arena and 2 chapels. This continued until the late 18th century. Between 1826 and 1830, the houses were removed to clear the place out and to make it an amphitheatre again. It hosted its first bullfights in 1830 and continues to host them today.