The Architecture of Provence and the RivieraMacGibbon, David
History
The Architecture of Provence and the Riviera
MacGibbon, David
Architecture -- France -- Provence; Architecture -- France -- Riviera
and other works. These are collected in the proscenium, and form an
interesting exhibition, giving some idea of the former richness of the
decoration. The upper part of the scena carried the roof above referred
to. The beams were embedded in the solid masonry, and projected over the
proscenium, the apertures formed in the walls to receive them being
distinctly visible. This roof has evidently been one source of the
destruction of the building, as the calcined and blackened appearance of
the upper part of the walls shews that it has suffered from a great
fire, the materials for which could only have been furnished by a wooden
roof over the proscenium.
The sketch (Fig. 6) shews some of the ranges of seats cut out of the
rock,--those at the bottom being in a fair state of preservation; and
also some of the built portion of one of the wings which united the
great proscenium to the part of the auditorium cut out of the hill
behind.
In the Middle Ages this theatre, as often happened with the massive
buildings of the Romans, was converted into a fortification, and formed
an outwork of the castle erected by the Duke of Orange on the summit of
the hill above. But so solid is its construction, being composed after
the Roman manner of building, of great blocks carefully fitted together
without cement, that it has been able to endure for at least 1500 years,
almost without change, all the destructive influences both of man and
the elements.
Immediately adjoining the theatre on the west was a hippodrome, the
outline of which is quite discernible from the high ground above. It
seems to have run nearly the whole length of the present town, and
remains of it may be traced at intervals among the houses. The length
and comparative narrowness of the structure shew that it was intended
for horse and chariot races, and not for gladiatorial combats and
similar spectacles. Of this immense building almost the only
architectural features now remaining are a large arch across one of the
streets, locally, but erroneously, called a triumphal gate, and some
portions of an arcade incorporated with the modern houses.
Almost everywhere in Orange antique fragments are to be found, and
several statues and mosaics have been discovered.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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