Saintes is a quiet town that has yet to be fully discovered by tourists. There are numerous medieval monuments and the remains of a Roman center with a forum and a triumphal arch.
The history of Saintes goes back to Celtic times. Then the settlement and the surrounding area were taken by the Romans. It was a thriving commercial center known as the Mediolanum Santonum. Many wonderful buildings have survived after it. The most important are the Amphitheater, the Triumphal Arch of Germanicus, the remains of temples and baths. Items found during the excavations can be viewed at the local archaeological museum.
Saintes' historical attractions include the local churches. The most important monument is the monumental Gothic cathedral of St. Peter with the cloisters adjacent to it. Part of the now defunct Benedictine abbey is the Romanesque-Gothic Basilica of Saint-Eutrope de Saintes. Despite the reconstruction of the nave, it still remains one of the most recognizable monuments in the region thanks to the high tower that towers over the lower buildings.
