This "oppidum" and its environs is the scene of the most important episode of the Gallic War - the siege of Alesia by Caesar's troops, which took place against the backdrop of a very difficult situation for the Romans in the entire region, and the battle that ended, during which the combined forces of the rebels led by Vercingetorig Gauls were defeated. During the siege, the Roman troops erected a double ring of fortifications 21 and 15 km long, respectively, around their camp, and events developed on an area comparable to the area of modern Paris.
In fact, Alesia paved the way for the creation of Roman Gaul, thus becoming an important stepping stone to the formation of today's France. Such a scale of the event required a particularly careful museification, therefore, according to Bernard Chumi himself, it was required to focus on the dialogue between all elements and aspects of the project, all points of view and participants - although, in his opinion, the combination of self-confidence and modesty, which was required of him customers is a must for any modern project.
One of the most important aspects was careful and efficient work with the terrain. This relief itself was a "participant" in historical events: Alesia was located on a hill (now the village of Aliz-Saint-Ren is on its slope), Caesar used other hills, and the rivers flowing along the valley between them played an important role in the hostilities. Thus, it was necessary not only to fit the buildings into the landscape, but also to place accents with new buildings for visitors to the museum park, so that it would be easier for them to imagine how and where events developed more than two millennia ago, at the end of the summer of 52 BC. e.
The beginning of the complex will be an information center, a round structure made of glass and concrete, sheathed on the outside with an openwork wooden screen; this is a reference to Roman fortifications. There will be a multimedia exposition that tells about the culture of the Gauls-Celts, about the politics of Caesar and other related topics - up to the "myth" of the brave Gaul ancestors and the hero Vercingetorig, which arose in France in the 19th century. Trees will be planted on the roof of the building so that when viewed from above, from the neighboring hills, the building does not disturb the overall appearance of the landscape. Its glazed walls and circular shape will provide a complete view of the surroundings from the inside. Nearby, part of the chain of fortifications and the territory of the Roman camp will be reconstructed and an underground garage will be arranged, completely planted with greenery on the outside (Michel Devigne is responsible for the interpretation of all landscape elements).
The second building of the ensemble, the museum itself, will be located at a distance of 2 km from the center - where the Gallic Alesia was located (although archaeologists still have some doubts about this), next to the 7-meter statue of Vercingetorig, erected at the direction of Napoleon III, and with the remains of the Roman Alesia, which arose after the siege and existed until the early Middle Ages. It will also be a cylindrical building, the concrete base of which will be lined with local stone, which should remind of the famous "Gallic wall" described by Caesar in his "Notes". Inside, archaeological finds will be exhibited: to a lesser extent - the time of the Celts and the siege of the settlement, to a greater extent - exhibits from the Roman era. They will be complemented by a lecture hall, a bookstore and other elements that are mandatory for every modern museum. All rooms will be organized around a central spiral staircase. The museum will be partially buried in the ground and equipped with a green roof - again, so as not to disturb the appearance of the natural environment from any point of view.
In addition, all important points of the territory - places of clashes, the location of additional camps of the Romans, simply areas with a wide view - will be connected by convenient paths.
Now the construction of the information center is almost complete; it should open together with the park in 2011. The museum is scheduled to be completed a little later.
N. F.