When was the oldest monument in Nîmes built?
The menhir of Courbessac dates to approximately 2500 BCE and remains the oldest monument found within Nîmes today. This limestone monolith stands over two metres tall near the aerodrome.
Questions about Nîmes
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who gave the name Nîmes to the settlement?
A local water deity named Nemausus gave the settlement its name before Roman general Quintus Fabius Maximus launched a campaign against Gallic tribes in 123 BCE. Strabo recorded this town as the regional capital for the Volcae Arecomici people.
What happened to Nîmes during the Islamic conquest of Septimania?
By 725, the Muslim Umayyads had conquered the whole Visigothic territory of Septimania including Nîmes. Charles Martel led an expedition between 736 and 737 that largely destroyed the city which remained in the hands of Umayyad allies until Pepin the Short captured it again in 752.
How did denim fabric get its name from Nîmes?
Denim fabric derives its name directly from this city through the phrase Serge de Nîmes. The blue dye used for production was imported via Genoa from Lahore the capital of the Great Mughal.
When did the new high-speed rail line open to passenger service?
The new contournement Nîmes Montpellier high-speed rail line opened to passenger service on the 15th of December 2019. A new TGV station at Nîmes-Pont-du-Gard sits twelve kilometers outside the city center to provide connections between the new line and local rail service.