We spent today in Vienne, France. This was the capital city of the Gauls and later became a major Roman city. Because of this, there are numerous Roman ruins and artifacts here. 

Roman road

Tutela, protector of Vienne

a whole bunch of intact amphora (storage containers)

The Temple of Augustus and Livia was built in the early 1st century to honor the Emperor Augustus and his wife Livia. After the fall of the Roman empire, the temple was converted into a church. Later it was a “temple of reason” and a commercial court, then museum, and later library of Vienne. At one point it was even a private home. Eventually it was converted back to a temple to be preserved. 

Temple of Cybele: This was discovered in 1945 when they went to build a hospital. There is an adjacent forum and the ruins of some homes.

Vienne Cathedral

Vienne Cathedral was built beginning in 1130 with continued additions, although there was a church on this site at least as far back as 887. The current facade and interior decorations have extensive damage left over from the French religious wars.

The statue heads were removed by the Huguenots during the French religious wars. The middle was the Virgin Mary holding Jesus with Joseph on the left and the 3 kings/wise men on the right. The window in the back was damaged during WWII and replaced with a more modern window.

Pope Clement V convened the Council of Vienne in 1311 and they met in Vienne Cathedral and clergy elected to withdraw support of the Knights Templar.

This is a mosaic in the floor of the apse of the cathedral. The signage says that it marks where the heart of Francis III, the Duke of Brittany, was placed in the floor in 1548. He was the dauphin, in line for the throne, when he suddenly died in 1536 at age 18. His brother later became King Henry II of France. Henry’s wife was Catherine de’Medici.

Farmers’ market

Today was Mother’s Day in France. The flowers were selling like hotcakes!