Guided tour of historic monuments in Saintes
There are many sites of interest in Saintes (Charente-Maritime) dating from both the Roman period and the last 1000 years.
Below we introduce the five most important monuments in Saintes, although we do recommend you look at the other sights when you visit!
The Arch of Germanicus is thought to have been built in 18 AD at the point where the original Roman bridge (no longer existing) allowed access to the ancient town of Saintes.
To avoid possible damage to the arch during work on the bridge it was relocated a short distance in 1843 to the site where we now see it.
The Church of Saint-Eutrope in Saintes was built in the 11th and 12th centuries and is one of the most impressive examples of roman architecture in the region.
The church is particularly unusual becuse it features two sanctuaries, one above the other. The lower of these is also called the crypt and includes the tomb of Saint-Eutrope, while the upper sanctuary contains some very interesting carved capital stones.
This design is because the monks who used the upper church did not want to be disturbed by the pilgrims en route to Santiago de Compostela, who used the lower church. Even today the church is a stop on this important pilgrimage route.
Note that the substantial belltower is not as old as the main church, having been added in the 15th century.
The Cathedral of Saint Pierre in Saintes dates in part (the south transept) from the 12th century which is in the romanesque style. The cloisters were added in the 13th century and much of the remainder of the cathedral was built in the style called Flamboyant Gothic in the 15th century and 17th century.
The Abbey aux Dames was founded in the 11th century and for several centuries it was an important monastic complex for women. The most impressive building here is the Abbey Church, with the 12th century facade and belltower among the highlights of romanesque architecture in Saintes.
The Roman amphitheatre to the west of Saintes in the Vallée des Arènes was built before the middle of the First Century AD, finished around 40 AD. The position is carefully chosen because the natural slopes on both sides of the valley made it a natural choice. It is one of the most impressive examples of this type of natural amphitheatre to be found in France.
The amphitheatre held up to 15000 spectators, which at that time was the entire population of the city, who came to watch battles against gladiators and wild animals.
For details of more of the interesting sights and a guide to the rest of the town see the Saintes tourist guide.