Mérida among Roman Monuments and the Guadiana

The history of the Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida began in 25 BC, when the Roman colony of Augusta Emerita was founded. It belonged to the Roman province of Lusitania, whose capital was Mérida, and was designed as an idealised image of Rome.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Mérida, you can compare travel dates, room categories and cancellation conditions on the respective offer pages. This information is part of practical planning; the choice of the right offer depends on your own expectations for the trip.

Culture

The Roman Theatre of Mérida was inaugurated between 16 and 15 BC; Marco Agrippa sponsored its construction. The cavea was designed to accommodate 6,000 spectators and was partly built into the slope of Cerro de San Albín. The Roman Amphitheatre, built in 8 BC, held approximately 15,000 to 16,000 spectators. It served as a venue for gladiatorial games, animal hunts and fights between wild animals.

The Roman Circus is 403 metres long and 96.5 metres wide and could accommodate up to 30,000 spectators. It is considered one of the best-preserved and at the same time most magnificent circus buildings in the Roman Empire. The different dimensions of the ancient complexes make it clear how greatly the venues differed in size and function.

At the Casa del Mitreo, a cosmos mosaic depicts the known universe with earthly, maritime and celestial elements surrounding the figure of eternity, Aeternitas. The Roman house is considered an elite residence; it was built outside the city walls at the end of the 1st or beginning of the 2nd century AD and arranged around three courtyards.

History

The Alcazaba of Mérida was built in 835 by the Umayyad emir Abderramán II. Abd Allah is considered its architect, and the fortress is regarded as the oldest on the Iberian Peninsula. Inside is an aljibe, considered unique in Iberian archaeology, constructed using reused Roman and Visigothic architectural elements.

The monument known as the Temple of Diana is actually a temple of the imperial cult. An information centre provides information there through panels and projections; original pieces and replicas are also on display.

The Museo Nacional de Arte Romano houses one of the finest collections of Roman sculptures and mosaics on the Iberian Peninsula. It conveys how a large Roman city functioned and administered an extensive province. Its crypt contains the remains of painted houses outside the city walls, as well as burials.

The large engineering structures are also part of Mérida’s historic character: today, the Roman Bridge consists of 60 semicircular arches and is almost 800 metres long. More than 800 metres of the Los Milagros Aqueduct survive; individual granite and brick piers rise 27 metres above the surrounding terrain.

Nature

Along the banks and on the lushly vegetated islands of the Guadiana in Mérida, visitors can observe cattle egrets, cormorants, black-headed gulls and white storks, among other species. Cultural sites and the river landscape stand side by side here with very different attractions: on one side are ancient buildings and collections, while on the other are riverbanks, islands and birdwatching opportunities.

For travel in a southerly direction, Mérida is connected by the Autovía Ruta de la Plata A-66; the route runs between Gijón and Seville.

Other places: La Nava de Santiago, Montemolín, Cheles, Higuera De Llerena, Orellana La Vieja, Calamonte, Barcarrota, Calera De León

Experiences and Events

The Consorcio de la Ciudad Monumental de Mérida offers guided tours of the Roman Theatre and Roman Amphitheatre during the day and at night. Performances take place in both monuments, linking the historic venues with today’s cultural programme.

Mérida’s Holy Week includes a solemn procession and a Stations of the Cross with the image of the Santísimo Cristo de la O. Both take place at dawn on Maundy Thursday in the Roman Amphitheatre.

At the beginning of summer, in early June, Mérida offers the opportunity to observe scenes from everyday life in the Roman world at original archaeological sites or to participate as a performer or extra.

To the higher-level travel overview: Badajoz.