Tourist information on Arles, France

In Gallo-Roman times, Arles was one of the most important cities in France, a busy inland port that was of great strategic value to imperial Rome and a major hub of Christianity. Today's Arles, an unassuming Provençal backwater, may be a mere shadow of its former self, but many consider it the spiritual heart of Provence, adorned by its ancient monuments and set in one of the most beautiful regions of France. It is here than Van Gogh painted some of his best-known work and it has equally inspired numerous poets and writers, such as Frédéric Mistral and Alphonse Daudet. Situated on the banks of the River Rhône, roughly midway between Nîmes and Marseille, Arles belongs to the department of Bouches-du-Rhône in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. A major centre of culture and tourism, the city hosts several festivals in the summer and is a must-see destination for all visitors to the Provence region.

Arles was founded by the Greeks in the 6th century BC and was an important Phoenician trading port. In the 4th century BC, it was conquered by the Celts, who gave it the name Arelate (from which Arles derives). The Romans took the town in 123 BC, renamed it Provincia Narbonensis and developed it into a substantial city, with a new canal link to the Mediterranean Sea which boosted its river trade. When the city supported him against his rival Pompey, Julius Caesar raised its status by establishing a colony for legion veterans. By the 4th century, Arles had become a city of great importance to the Romans. Constantine the Great named it the second capital in his empire in 306 AD and it provided a base for Rome's military campaigns for the next hundred years. It was also an important cultural and religious centre, a conduit through which Christianity was able to spread throughout the region. From the late 5th century, Arles experienced a dramatic period of decline. Taken by the Visigoths in 476, it subsequently came under the control of the Franks by the middle of the 6th century, but was then devastated by years of bad harvests and famine, followed by the Saracen raids of the 8th century. It was the break-up of the Carolingian dynasty which led to the creation of the kingdom of Provence, with Arles its capital. After a turbulent period in which the city passed between many hands, Arles finally acquired the status of a free city in the 12th century, a privilege it retained until the French Revolution. From the 12th to the 16th century, Arles thrived as a trading port and centre of agriculture, although the city's economy would be adversely affected by floods, plague and the unrest caused by France's religious wars. Arles's lucrative river trade (which by now included the transport of coal as well as wood and wheat) brought another period of prosperity in the 1700s, although this would be decimated in the mid-19th century by the arrival of the railways. Arles's rapid degeneration into a provincial backwater was catastrophic for the city's economy but this made it an attractive haunt for artists, most famously the post-impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh, who produced over 300 paintings and drawings during his stay there in 1888/9. Arles's success as a centre of tourism and culture today derives in part from its association with Van Gogh, although ironically none of his work is exhibited in the town.

Arles's historic architecture owes almost everything to the city's two golden eras, the glory years of its Gallo-Roman phase and its period of prosperity in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The best known of Arles's Roman monuments is its amphitheatre, les Arènes. Built in the first century BC, this is somewhat less spectacular than the amphitheatre at Nîmes, owing to the fact that it has lost its third storey. In the Middle Ages, towers were added as it became a fortress and it later contained about 200 houses. Today, it is used for the Easter bullfights and the Rice Festival (prémices du riz) in September. Arles's other main Roman attraction is the Classical theatre (le théâtre antique), which serves as a pleasant venue for open-air plays in the summer. Another prominent Roman landmark is the Obélisque d'Arles, a 4th century obelisk which stands at the centre of the Place de la République, in front of the town hall. Not far away are the Thermes de Constantin (Baths of Constantine), a 4th century bathing complex of which all that remains are the Caldarium (warm bath) and parts of the Tepidarium (warm air room) and Hypocaust (under-floor heating system). Dating from the 1st century BC, the underground Cryptoporticus consists of three Roman galleries supported by fifty pillars. This originally served as the foundation for the town's Forum, but was later used as a store house. To the southeast of the centre lies Les Alyscamps, an early Christian necropolis with wooded avenues and ancient tombs, a popular burial site for over 1500 years and a favourite subject of Van Gogh.

Arles's importance as a major Christian centre of the Middle Ages is powerfully conveyed by its ancient Gothic cathedral, which dominates the Place de la République. Built between the 12th and 15th centuries, the Cathédrale Saint-Trophime is named after the city's first bishop (St Trophime) and is one of the most impressive sacred buildings in Provence. It was here that St Augustine was reputedly consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury by the city's bishop in 597 and where Charles IV crowned himself King of Arles in 1365. The cathedral distinguishes itself with its soaring 40m high bell tower and its ornately decorated doorway, one of the finest examples of Provençal stonecarving. The interior is just as awe-inspiring, with its sculptures, stained glass windows, paintings, sarcophagi, Gothic chancel and a stunning 20m high nave. Adjacent to the cathedral is a sumptuously decorated cloister which leads to an idyllic courtyard.

Many of Arles's other attractions are connected with Vincent Van Gogh, the artist on whom it had such a profound impact. To the west of the city centre is Espace Van Gogh, the former hospital Hôtel Dieu to which Van Gogh committed himself during a period of extreme mental disturbance in December 1888. The courtyard and its garden have been restored to how they were at the time of Van Gogh's stay there. On the outskirts of the city is Van Gogh Bridge, a replica of the wooden bridge across the Canal d'Arles which Van Gogh sketched and painted many times. The original bridge (Pont du Langlois) was destroyed in 1926 but has been faithfully reconstructed, a little nearer to the city centre.

Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence antiques is Arles's museum of ancient history, which is housed in a modern building designed by the architect Henri Ciriani and boasts an impressive collection of Roman artefacts, including several sarcophagi. Its prize exhibit is a bust of Julius Caesar that is dated at 46 BC and was found by divers in the River Rhône in 2008. Musée Réattu houses an impressive collection of paintings from the 16th to the 20th centuries, but is also dedicated to photography and architecture. The museum is accommodated in the 15th century Commanderie of the Knights Hospitalers, which was once the residence of the local artist Jacques Réattu. The pride of the collection is a set of 57 drawings and a painting by Pablo Picasso. Although none of Van Gogh's work is exhibited in the town, the artist is honoured by Fondation Van Gogh-Arles, an exhibition of work by painters, sculptors and photographers, situated to the west of Les Arènes.

La Place du Forum is Arles's social hub, a charming little square bordered by trees, terrace cafes and restaurants. It may lack the grandeur and imposing monuments of the town's other square, La Place de la République, but it has a far more convivial atmosphere and is the perfect place to relax and recharge after a hard day's sightseeing. Arles's other attractions include its open-air markets, which are held each Wednesday and Saturday morning (an ideal place to obtain fresh produce), and its many summer festivals, the best known of which is Rencontres d'Arles, a major photography event - not forgetting the amazing Provence countryside which surrounds the city, including the massive Camargue National Park to the southwest.

Arles's train station, Gare d'Arles, is situated in the north of the town. This provides connections to French cities such as Paris, Marseille and Bordeaux, as well as several regional towns. Whilst Arles does not have its own airport, it is possible to reach the city by flying to airports at nearby Nîmes or Marseille and taking a train or bus into Arles.