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Origin and history

The Roman circus of Vienna, built at the end of the second century, is an emblematic monument of antiquity in the city of Vienna (Isère). Today, it is known mainly by its pyramid, a 23 metre high masonry vestige, the only element still standing in France evoking an Egyptian style. This monument, classified since 1852, marked the center of the spina (central barrier) of the circus, used for tank racing. The 19th century excavations revealed a 460-metre-long building, replacing a first wooden circus built at the end of the 1st century.

The pyramid, often locally called "Tombe de Pilate" because of medieval legends, rests on a tetrapyle and could replace a missing obelisk. Its atypical architecture – a 7.45 m high square base surmounted by a truncated obelisk – makes it a symbol of Vienna. The circus, located near the Rhone, was a major entertainment venue, potentially used until the fourth century, as evidenced by the currencies of that time.

The site, excavated from 1853, reveals an architectural evolution: the first circus, made of light materials, was replaced by a hard structure enlarged in the second century. The spina, low (0.60 m) and decorated with basins, was a central element of the races. Nearby, the restaurant La Pyramide, linked to chef Fernand Point, perpetuates the fame of the monument. The legends around the pyramid, like Pontius Pilate's, illustrate his anchoring in the local imagination since the Middle Ages.

Ranked a historic monument since 1852, the pyramid now dominates Fernand-Point Square, an ancient Pyramid square. Its state of conservation in situ and its unique character make it a rare testimony of Roman circuses in Gaul. The possible changes in the fourth century, during the change of status of Vienna (temporary imperial residence), suggest a prolonged use, despite the abandonment of the surrounding neighborhoods.

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