January, February, November, December: from 9:30 a.m.The Roman Theater of Orange can be visited 365 days a year: The advantage of this structure is that it does not distort the acoustics of the Roman Theater and integrates stage equipment dedicated to shows. This very modern roof, which was the result of the reflection of several scientists and archaeologists, was very complex to put in place because of the stones which, weakened during the fire that took place in the 4th century, could no longer support a structure similar to those of the Roman period. The finds have been put back in their place in order to partially restore its original appearance.Ī glass roof had to be built over the stage wall to protect it from bad weather. Excavations carried out in 1931 led to the discovery, under the stage, of some of the 76 columns that once adorned the wall and the entablatures. The 37-meter high stage wall has been completely preserved. Thanks to the hard work of the architects of the Historical Monuments and their research, it has been reliably restored to its former splendor. The Roman Theater in Orange is the best preserved in all of Europe. In the center of the bleachers stands the orchestra, which hosted the choirs of the tragedies.Īn incredibly well-preserved Roman theater They can accommodate 10,000 spectators and are served by radiant stairs. To facilitate the construction, the bleachers of the Roman Theater are built in a semicircle on the side of the Saint-Eutrope hill. It represents Emperor Augustus holding his consular baton, reminding the population that it is essential to respect the laws in order to preserve Roman peace. Today, only the central niche still houses a 3.55-meter high sculpture. The niches surrounding this door were once decorated with statues. The remains of the frieze that crowned the Royal Door, illustrating centaurs, are on display in the Museum of Orange.
In the middle of the stage wall opens the Royal Door, which was reserved for the main characters the other actors used small side doors called “hospitable doors”. Moving elements and props were used on stage to give the illusion of movement and perspective.
The stage wall is the only architectural decoration in the building.
The 86 corbels on the top of the wall were used to hold the velum, a large stretched canvas used to protect the public from various weather conditions. Finally, the third has a hole to allow light to enter the passageways. The stone corbels, which are still visible, were used to support the weight of the roof structure that burned down in the 4th century. The first level has several doors giving access to the stage, to rooms that do not communicate with the interior and to the backstage area. The outside facade of the theater, also known as the postscaenium, is spread over three levels.
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