Nîmes — Nemausa's Lost Incantation

Your journey to decipher the Lost Incantation begins in the Jardins de la Fontaine, created in 1745 by Jacques Philippe de Viguier. These gardens, inspired by ancient Roman gardens, span 3.5 hectares, including Mont Cavalier, which rises 54 m. Here, the Nymphée, an ancient source from the 1st century BC, once vital for Nîmes' Roman aqueduct, presents you with the first puzzles. These gardens, classified as a Historical Monument in 1941, also house the Tour Magne, built in the 1st century BC, still standing 18 m high, like a beacon on the city's Roman past.

Continue your investigation towards the Temple of Diana, a Roman ruin from the 1st-2nd century AD, located in the heart of the Jardins de la Fontaine. This structure of three-level arcades, approximately 14 m x 9 m, has been classified as a Historical Monument since 1840. Although its formal attribution to Diana is not confirmed by excavations, it was likely dedicated to the nymph Egeria. In the 16th century, this temple was integrated into medieval fortifications, a transformation that reflects the successive uses of Nîmes' Roman heritage and how the city reappropriated its ancient buildings over the centuries.

The ascent of the Tour Magne, built in the 1st century BC on an earlier Gallic base, is a crucial step in your quest. Standing 18 m high, this Roman watchtower, restored in 1732 under Louis XV, offers a panoramic view of Nîmes from Mont Cavalier. Accessible by 140 steps, it was an integral part of the Roman defensive system with its 6 km ramparts. Classified as a Historical Monument in 1840, it allows you to survey the city's expanse and locate the Porte Auguste, built between 16 and 2 BC by order of Emperor Augustus after the submission of the Gallic peoples.

Your path then leads you to the Porte Auguste, an imposing edifice 6.85 m wide and 8.40 m high with two arches and square towers. Built in honor of Augustus, this gate, classified as a Historical Monument in 1840, was a major access point to the Roman ramparts. Not far, the Maison Carrée, a Roman temple completed in 4-2 BC and classified as a Historical Monument in 1840, dedicated to Caius and Lucius Caesar, stands. This temple, the only one fully preserved in metropolitan France, measures 25 m long, 13.5 m wide, and 17 m high, offering a perspective on imperial Roman architecture in Nîmes, Occitanie.

Finally, the Arènes de Nîmes, a Roman amphitheater built around 70-100 AD, are revealed. With a capacity of 24,000 spectators and dimensions of 133 m long, 101 m wide, and 21 m high, they hosted gladiatorial combats and venationes until the 5th century, before being restored in the 19th century. Classified as a Historical Monument in 1840 and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2024, they are a testament to Roman grandeur. Square Antonin, created in 1840 and renovated in 2010 on part of the ancient Roman forum, offers a moment of respite. By completing your journey at Pont de l'Abbé, you will have traversed 2,000 years of history, uncovered the secrets of a city once called Nemausa, and understood the importance of its Roman heritage in Occitanie.