10 Interesting Arles Facts

10 interesting arles facts 1 Arles Facts

Facts About Arles:

  1. The Ligurians were in this area from about 800 BC. Later, Celtic influences have been discovered. The city became an important Phoenician trading port, before being taken by the Romans.

  2. The Roman and Romanesque Monuments of Arles were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1981.

  3. Vincent van Gogh painted his famous Sunflowers in Arles.

  4. Arles is twinned with: Pskov, Russia; Jerez de la Frontera and Cubelles, Spain; Fulda, Germany; York, Pennsylvania, United States; Vercelli, Italy; Sagné, Mauritania; Kalymnos, Greece; Wisbech, United Kingdom; Zhouzhuang, Kunshan, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; Verviers, Belgium & George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

  5. An international photography festival has been held in Arles since 1970.

  6. World Famous Painters Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin lived in Arles. 

  7. The Population of Arles as of 2015 is 52,886.

  8. Arles is situated on the Camargue plain where the Rhône River divides to form its delta.

  9. Arles is the largest commune in France in terms of territory.

  10. A major French publishing house Actes Sud is also situated in Arles. It was founded in 1978 by author Hubert Nyssen.

10 interesting arles facts Arles Facts

Arles Facts