Périgueux was founded around 16 B.C. when the Romans settled in the area near the river Isle and created the town of Vesunna. By around 40 B.C. the town already had a forum and the amphitheatre was under construction. The temple, known today as the Tour de Vésone, dates back to the beginning of the second century. 

The Vesone domus, the home of a wealthy aristocratic family, was erected in the first century, and its remains were uncovered in 1959 during an archaeological excavation. Since 2003, the site has been housed in a contemporary building, which now forms the Vesunna Museum.

Domus base, Vesunna Museum, Périgueux

Model of the original domus construction

The Vesunna amphitheatre was one of the largest in Gaul at 140 metres x 116 metres, a similar size to those in Arles and Nimes. It seated approximately 20,000 spectators. Illustrations discovered at the site show gladiators fighting in the arena.

Model of the amphitheatre

Columns decorated with a seascape frieze and a collection of weaponry (2nd century)

Corinthian capital (2nd century)

Heads of Bacchus and a mother-goddess

Tour de Vésone (2nd century)

A visit to the fascinating city of Périgueux, capital of the Dordogne department in France, where there is much to explore.

The cathedral of Saint Front was built around 1120. The site originally had a church, built by Bishop Chronope between 500 and 536, before becoming an abbey. In order to accommodate more pilgrims, the abbey was enlarged by the addition of a domed church, claimed to have been modelled on Saint Mark’s Basilica in Venice. It became a cathedral in the sixteenth century, taking its name, Saint Front, from the man who was, according to legend, the first bishop of Périgueux.

It has been classified as a historic monument since 1840 and was made a World Heritage Site in 1998, as part of the routes to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle in France. 

Saint Front Cathedral, Perigueux

Amongst other religious buildings in the city is the Couvent des Dames de la Foi, which has an interesting Romanesque façade The house was built in the twelfth century and was a private residence before being given in 1680 to the congregation of the Ladies of the Faith which had been introduced to Périgueux in 1670. They established a convent there, intended for the conversion of young Protestant women.

The Romanesque façade of the Couvent des Dames de la Foi, Périgueux

Another fascinating building in the city is the Eschif, which was built in 1347 as a lookout post to allow surveillance of the Tournepiche bridge. It was built on the now-demolished ramparts of Puy-Saint-Front, the medieval city which corresponds to the historic center of Périgueux.

Eschif, Perigueux

The city’s ‘Musée d’art et d’archéologie du Périgord‘ has an interesting collection of African and Oceanic art and artifacts.

‘Warrior’s mask’ (Ivory Coast, early 20th century)

Sacred mask (Ivory Coast)

‘Gelede mask’ (Nago-Yoruba, Benin, late 19th century)

I was particularly interested to see this ceremonial breastplate used in a ‘mokka’ ceremony in the Mendi region of the Western Highlands in Papua New Guinea, as I have my own example that I bought from the Bishop Museum in Hawaii when I was there in 1987.

‘Mokka’ breastplate, purchased in Ohahu, Hawaii, 1987