Les Théâtres Romains (Lyon)
written by anglemort
on August 11th, 2008
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Lyon was called Lugdunum and was the capital of Gaul (former France). The 2000 years old building left by the romans is the memory of the city. The Roman theater is an important place for me. It’s in the Roman theater that I met the rock band Placebo for the first time. I was around 17 years old, it was my first gig. They played the Pixies’ cover “Where is My Mind” for the first time there, after Brian Molko explained us that he was drunk. Unforgettable!
The “Théâtres Romains”, is called a “Roman theater-odeum-temple complex” by clever people. It is in a park, south of the basilica in Lyon, on a hill overlooking the modern city of Lyon. There is also a beautiful garden there, take a look at my Diana picture of a girl with beautiful flowers behind, so sunny that I burnt my film!
Lyon’s Roman theater is the oldest in France, built by order of Augustus from 17 to 15 BC, expanded during the reign of Hadrian. The odium (Latin word, Odeon in french), smaller, reserved for musical performances, was once decorated (massive walls still retain small trace of paintings!). Its orchestra floor still contains mosaics of marble and porphyry. The third building was a temple dedicated to Sibella, a goddess from orient. Only the building’s foundations remain. The Roman theater still use for concert, especially in summer, during “Les nuits de Fourvière”, come for a good gig, you will never forget this moment, artists give their best in such a beautiful place!
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