Home > Tourism France > Tourism Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur > Tourism Vaucluse > Tourism Vaison-la-Romaine > Théâtre antique de Vaison la Romaine

The ancient theater is protected as a historic monument since 1862. Witness to the prosperity of the ancient city of Vasio, it is one of the few public buildings, now visible, which consisted of the monumental city. Its size and structure can accommodate up to 7000 spectators, distributed according to a strict hierarchy. The 32 stands were grouped into stages separated by a wall and perhaps a corridor. They were accessible by stairs from the orchestra and vomitoria. The stands were surmounted by a portico. The area reserved for players remain visible remnants of the wall of the stage and before the twelve cavities for the mechanism of the curtain. Back, the pits housed the machinery used for processing the scenes and scenic effects through hatches in the floor. The foundations of the stage wall, carved in the rock, give a faint idea of ​​the monumental decoration, but they are far three artists passing through the gates to enter the stage: by convention, the actors entering from the side yard (right ) came from the forum and those entering from the left (garden) came from the countryside or out of town.