Lyon, France: Roman Theaters

Walking into the hillside area of Lyon is already breathtaking, as it offers a fine view of the two Roman theaters in that city. The story gets even better though.

Experts did some archeological work over the course of 37 years before World War II. They found not only the Grand Theater and the Odean, but the grid of part of a city complete with town squares, streets, homes and shops.

Still, it is the big public gathering spots that attract attention. The Theater dates back to around 15 B.C. That's a few years before Lyon was founded by the Romans, who gave it the name of Gaul. The Odeon was built around 170 A.D., thus becoming the new kid on the block.

Events are still held there, as the modern stage indicates in the photo. A museum, filled with objects from the era, is nearby.

This offers a better look at the area:



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