Arles is a city in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône département, of which it is a sous-préfecture, in the former province of Provence.
FACTS AND FIGURES
- Population: 53,000
- The Rhône river forks into two branches just upstream of Arles, forming the Camargue delta
- Arles is an ancient town, having been established by the Greeks as early as the 6th century BC under the name of Theline
- Arles remained economically important for many years as a major port on the Rhône
SIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS
- Medieval St. Trophime Church (noteworthy cloister and doorway)
- Alyscamps necropolis
- Roman amphitheater (Arenes; built in 1st century AD to hold some 20,000 spectators, now used for bullfights)
- Museums of archeology, local culture, history, and art
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