Porte de Mars
Encyclopedia
Porte Mars is an ancient Roman triumphal arch
in Reims
, France. It dates from the third century AD, and was the widest arch in the Roman world .
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The Arch is 32 metres long and 13 metres high. It was named after a nearby temple to Mars
. The arch has many highly detailed carvings on its exterior and on the ceilings of its three passageways. Local folklore says that the inhabitants of Rheims built the arch in gratitude when the Romans brought major roads through their city. It served as a city gate until 1544. In 1817, the buildings around it were removed, bringing the arch into full view.
Triumphal arch
A triumphal arch is a monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road. In its simplest form a triumphal arch consists of two massive piers connected by an arch, crowned with a flat entablature or attic on which a statue might be...
in Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, France. It dates from the third century AD, and was the widest arch in the Roman world .
The Arch
Mars (mythology)
Mars was the Roman god of war and also an agricultural guardian, a combination characteristic of early Rome. He was second in importance only to Jupiter, and he was the most prominent of the military gods worshipped by the Roman legions...
. The arch has many highly detailed carvings on its exterior and on the ceilings of its three passageways. Local folklore says that the inhabitants of Rheims built the arch in gratitude when the Romans brought major roads through their city. It served as a city gate until 1544. In 1817, the buildings around it were removed, bringing the arch into full view.