Square des arènes de Lutèce

The Arènes de Lutèce is the oldest monument in Paris, dating back to the first century when the city was a Roman settlement called Lutetia. This massive stone amphitheater once held fifteen thousand spectators, a number equal to the entire population of the city at the time. It was a dual-purpose arena where the floor served as a stage for theatrical plays and also as a pit for gladiatorial combat and animal fights. You are standing in a space that was once the beating heart of Roman public life in this region, designed with a podium wall over two meters high to keep the audience safe from the action below.