One of the best things about Bordeaux? I have my very own Roman
ruin. Well no, it’s not really mine; the city hasn't awarded it to me for having the best new Bordeaux blog (though I'm sure their recognition will come in time). But it sure seems like mine alone. It's only a five-minute walk from our apartment, so I can drop by anytime. And because it’s tucked into a residential area no one’s ever around when I visit, except for maybe two old gals, sunning themselves and catching up on the gossip. There's not much left to look at, just a few crumbling masonry arcades and what was obviously a grand entrance. And even though it's called Palais Gallien it was never a palace and had no connection with anyone named Gallien.
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| The remnants of Palais Gallien in 2012 |
In the 2nd century Burdigala (as Bordeaux was
then called) was the capital of the Aquitaine region. Because of the local wine
trade Burdigala was one of the richest cities in Roman Gaul, embellished with
bathes, temples, aqueducts and porticoes that “emerged from the swamps like
islands in the sea.” Located in the farthest corner of the city was the enormous amphitheater that would later come to be known as "Palais Gallien."
