To most people, Arles seems to be best known for its association with Van Gogh, but of course, for those with an interest in ancient and medieval history, the city has much more to offer. The Amphitheatre is a massive and very impressive building that hosted gladiator fights for many centuries, and is today used for plays, concerts, and the French variant of bullfighting. The Church of St. Trophime, a former cathedral, features great Romanesque sculptures at the front side and also includes a cloister that is one the finest and best preserved anywhere. The Cryptoporticus, built as a foundation for the forum, is a huge underground space that provides pleasant shade and cool temperatures on a hot summer day. Other parts of the sites are the Roman theatre, the Thermal Baths of Constantine, and the interesting Alyscamps necropolis (meaning “Elysian Fields” in Occitan), which features many ancient sarcophagi and is also included in the Routes of Santiago listing, as the medieval Church of St. Honorat was a popular gathering point for pilgrims. There are not many places outside of Italy where so many Roman monuments can be found so close together, and in such high quality – but of course, the entire region, with Orange, Nimes and the Pont du Gard, is a true Roman hotspot.