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Nimes is not rich with religious monuments. This is because of the destroying wars between Catholics and Protestants in the 16^th and 17^th century. The CATHEDRALE NOTRE-DAME et SAINT-CASTOR is the only old church and, I dare to say, the ugly duck of the churches in Languedoc. The façade of the cathedral is remarkable. It had so much to suffer and has been restored badly so many times that it makes an absurd impression.  There is a pretty Roman frieze, with a lot of stories of the Old Testament. The first six are from the 12^th century; the others were added in the 17^th century. A miracle! The door stayed put in the 17^th century when the whole church was replaced by a new building. The interior of the church was adapted in neogothic shape in the 19^th century. Anyway, with her facade it forms a pretty décor for the terraces on the square.
The PORTA AUGUSTEA was on the spot where the Via Domitia entered the city. Then it followed the decumanus.The statue of Augustus at the Porta was a gift from the thirties given by the fascist Italy. And because Augustus made a special gesture with his arm, not so appreciated b-y the French, it was stashed away in a warehouse.
At the boulevard Gambetta, no.20 lays the birth house of Alphonse Daudet (20). He wrote a lot about Provence, but also about the Languedoc, like in his “Letters De Mon Moulin. The house is not open for visits.
The MAISON CARREE used to be next to the Forum that was located at the present rue d’Auguste. Probably the temple was dedicated to the two grand children of Augustus. After their death they were declared GOD, which became now the habit with all emperors, on the condition they did not make too much fuss. The temple is built during the reign of Augustus (27 BC-14 AC). On the roof lintel of the temple a golden text was written. Today only the wholes of the nails which held the letters are still in place and it is a major guessing whet was written on the lintel. The MAISON CARREE is the best conserved Roman temple. In the course of history it was used as habitation, church and stable. Now there are changing exhibitions.
At the other side of the boulevard a hypermodern building rises, result of the new boost Nimes had in the eighties. The building is the MEDIATHEQUE ET CENTRE D’ART CONTEMPORAIN and is designed by Norman Foster. In Nimes they like to compare it with the centre Pompidou in Paris. Before that, there was here the pompous façade from the burn out theater, that tried to be higher and better than the Maison Carreé; If the news "beaubourg Nimoiseé” was successful, I leave it to you to make the comparison.
On the place d’Assas is a fountain with sculptures of Nemausus and Nemausa. The square is a vivid place to make a break, in the coolness of the fountain or the terra