Reattu Museum in Arles

Another art museum in Arles is the Reattu Museum. It is housed in the attractive old mansion of the painter Jacques Reattu, at the crossing of the Rhone and Cardo rivers. In addition to its original collection of older works, it has concentrated recently on contemporary photography and paintings, and on holding interesting temporary exhibits.

Vincent Van Gogh Foundation in Arles

Arles was where Van Gogh had perhaps his most productive period, but also where his growing mental instability finally resulted in his suicide. The Vincent Van Gogh Foundation in Arles has a modest collection of his works, but other floors are devoted to more contemporary works. Here are a few examples.

Arles Church of St. Trophime

According to Wikipedia, "The Church of St. Trophime (Saint Trophimus), formerly a cathedral, is a major work of Romanesque architecture..."  Here are some details of exterior and interior.

Roman Arena in Arles: Interior

The interior of the Roman Arena in Arles presents some impressive architectural views, both monumental and detailed.

Roman Arena in Arles: Exterior

Somewhat more intact than the Roman Theater in Arles is the Arena (or Ampitheater), which is still used for bullfighting and other events. Here are some photos of the impressive exterior, with glimpses of its contemporary surroundings.

Roman Theater in Arles

Arles was an important Roman city (then called Arelate). Several edifices remain from that time, of which we visited two: the Theater and the Arena. Here are a couple of details of the ruins of the Theater.

Arles on the Rhone

We flew from Thessaloniki via Paris to Marseilles, where we rented a car and drove to Arles, a historic, interesting, and attractive city in (the former province of) Provence. Its location on the Rhone River is a key to its importance over the centuries, and today provides enjoyable boating, walking, and relaxation.

Thessaloniki Miscellany

Finally, a few miscellaneous photos from the interesting Greek city of Thessaloniki.

Thermaikos Gulf

Immigrants by the Gulf

Jewish Museum Historical Display

Thessaloniki Museum of Photography

The Museum of Photography and an associated contemporary art museum are in converted industrial buildings on the waterfront in Thessaloniki. In the entryway was some old photographic equipment, but the rest of the building was devoted to a show entitled "Capitalist Realism".

Thessaloniki Waterfront

Thessaloniki lies on the Thermaikos Gulf in the Aegean Sea, and the waterfront is a popular gathering place.

Roman Forum in Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki, like the rest of Greece, was under Roman rule for a long time. The Romans built an Agora, or Forum, which has recently been partially restored, with some underground areas turned into a museum.

Thessaloniki Central Market

Markets are always fun to wander through and take pictures, and Thessaloniki's Central Market was no exception. Since it's on the coast, there was a particularly good selection of fish, and some sponges as well.

Icons in the Thessaloniki Museum of Byzantine Culture

The Thessaloniki Museum of Byzantine Culture has a splendid collection of icon paintings. Here are four, along with a royal portrait in the middle in the same style, that particularly attracted me.