Roman Theatre of Orange
The Romans made early Roman theatres mostly with wood. They were meant to be temporary structures. In 55 BC Pompey asked for a stone theatre in his home city of Rome. After this, important (and permanent) Roman theatres became more popular in the Empire. The Orange theatre was built under the rule of Augustus. It was one of the first of its kind in this area of France. The grand exterior (outside) facade is one of the most famous parts of the structure. It is 103 meters long and 37 meters high. At the beginning, there was a wooden roof across the theatre. This protected the people watching from bad weather. There is evidence on the walls that shows that, at some point, the roof burnt in a fire. There is not very much decoration on the theatre. However, the tall wall gives an imposing look to the whole building. The three main doors on the first level of the facade open directly onto the stage inside the theatre. The theatre can seat between 5,800 up to 7,300. Today, much of the seating is new. This is to make sure that tourists and people watching plays are safe.