Built in the years 20-25 AD and marking the northern entrance to the Roman city, the Arch pays tribute to the founders of Aurusio (the Roman name for Orange). Made of large blocks of dry-fitted limestone, held together by iron and lead spikes, this monumental trhee-bay gateway has a second attic made up of pedestals of statues missing. The decorations of the sculpted panels reveal the subtle balance between light and shadow intended by the scuptors.
The Antique Arch of Orange was the subject of a major restoration and consolidation campaign in 2008 and 2011 by RL&A. This work has enabled to preserve and highlight its exceptional sulpted panels. Since 2011, a reappearance of alteration due to water runoff has been observed (soiling and weadening of the stone by rainwater runoff, accelerating wind erosion). These climatic attacks threatened, in the medium and long term, the preservation of the decorations. In order to slow down the erosion of the bas-reliefs, which are no longer protected by the missing cornices, these have been restored on all levels by the uses of mouldings. A careful cleaning of all the elevations has also been carried out. This challenging project has been approved by the National comission on heritage and architecture on November 22, 2018.