Roman necropolis of Alyscamps burial culture is a museum under the open sky. Gloomy place, but worthwhile - here are the remains of ancient crypts, tombs and chapels. The first burials were made in the III century, and the last burial dated to the period of the French Revolution. Unfortunately, in the middle of the XIX century on the territory of Alyscamps the railroad, and one part of the necropolis was the estranged from the rest of the cemetery. In the part of the XVI century there was a chapel and a leper colony.

This necropolis not once been mentioned in literature and depicted in the canvases. Alyscamps and surroundings wrote Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin, and it captured in the literature of Dante Alighieri in the "Divine Comedy" and Ludovico Ariosto in "Orlando Furioso."

The name translates as the necropolis of "Champs Elysees", at the beginning of its history it was located near the walls of Arles, but when the city grew, it turned out to be almost in the very center. In half a kilometer from Aliskan is the Roman amphitheater.

Alyscamps became the burial place of the first bishop of Arles St. Trophime and martyr Genet - Roman, died for the Christian faith. The graves of the saints did necropolis very prestigious resting place, which wanted to be buried all distinguished and wealthy citizens, as well as wealthy citizens from other European cities. However, in the XII century the remains of St. Trophime were transferred to the cathedral, and it is somewhat downgraded the status of the necropolis.

From the XI to XVI century on the territory of Alyscamps appeared about two dozen churches and chapels in the XII century, the abbey was founded by Saint Honoratus, now destroyed. In addition, the Alyscamps was the beginning of the way of St. James for pilgrims from Provence. Later, during the Renaissance, the necropolis been looted, because of what had been lost Roman sarcophagi with an original sculptural decoration.