Emerita Augusta
Encyclopedia
The Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida
is one of the largest and most extensive archaeological sites in Spain
. Mainly of Emerita Augusta, ancient capital of Lusitania
(current city of Mérida
). It was declared a World Heritage Site
by UNESCO
in 1993.
. It was renovated in the late 1st or early 2nd century AD, possibly by the emperor Trajan
, and again between 330 and 340 during Constantine
's reign, when a walkway and new decorative elements were added. With the advent of Christianity as Rome's sole state religion, theatrical performances were officially declared immoral: the theatre was abandoned and most of its fabric was covered with earth, leaving only its upper tiers of seats (summa cavea). In Spanish tradition, these were known as "The Seven Chairs" in which several Moorish kings held court to decide the fate of the city.
. It was sited outside the city walls, alongside the road that connected Emeritus in Corduba (Córdoba
) with Toletum (Toledo
). The arena plan was of elongated U-shape, with one end semicircular and the other flattened. A lengthwise spina formed a central divide within, to provide a continuous trackway for two-horse
and four-horse
chariot racing
. The track was surrounded by ground level cellae, with tiered stands above. At some 400m long and 100m wide, the Circus was the city's largest building, and could seat about 30,000 spectators – the city's entire population, more or less. Like most circuses throughout the Roman Empire, Merida's circus resembled a much scaled-down version of Rome's Circus Maximus
.
.
The situation of the bridge is carefully selected at a ford of the river Guadiana
offered as a support a central island that divides it into two channels. The original structure did not provide the continuity of the present, as it was composed by two sections of arches joined in the island, where a large Starling
. This was replaced by several arcs in the seventeenth century, after a flood dated in 1603 damaged part of the structure. In Roman times the length was extended several times, adding at least five consecutive sections of arches so that the road is not cut during the periodic flooding of the Guadiana. That has made this work reaches the 792 m long, one of the largest remaining at that time.
located 5 km from the city. Dates from the early 1st B.C. century.
The arcade is now fairly well preserved, especially the section that spans the valley of the river Albarregas.
It is known by this name, because it seems a miracle that it was still standing.
era.
Rectangular, and surrounded by columns, it faces the front of the city's Forum. This front was formed by a set of six columns ending in a gable. It is mainly built of granite.
Made of granite and marble wrapped in origin, it measures 13.97 meters high, 5.70 m wide and 8.67 m for arc flash. It is believed to have a triumphal character, although it could also serve as a prelude to the Provincial Forum. Immersed in the maze and masked by modern construction nearby houses, this arch stands majestic and admired by travelers and historians of all time. Its name is arbitrary, as the commemorative inscription was lost centuries ago.
led to its current name. The whole house was built in concrete blocks reinforced corners. Highlights the peristyle house with interior garden
and a room of the famous western sector Cosmogonic Mosaic, allegorical of the elements of nature (rivers, winds, etc.) chaired by the figure of Aion
. The complex has been roofed and fitted out to visit recently.
, held in the open, outside the walls
of the Roman city. Both are the best example of funerary constructions Emeritus. The materials used for manufacturing are the masonry and granite masonry. In the two sections are preserved identification epigraphies
of the owner families (the Vaconios and Julios) as it has been known the origin and condition of them.
River. Built by Abderraman II in 835 d. C. as a stronghold to control the city, which since 805 had rebelled continuously against the rule of the Emirate. First Arab
citadel of the Iberian Peninsula
.
It is a complex construct, consisting of a large area of 130 square meters on a side capable of accommodating a large number of troops. Inside are a wonderful aljibe, where building is unique, consisting of an inexhaustible water tank (filtered from the Guadiana) that was accessed with a double row from the ground floor of a tower. At one end was built a convent for the Order of Santiago and is now the seat of the presidency of the Junta de Extremadura
. Next to the Roman bridge is attached another smaller room, called Alcazarejo, which controlled the river crossing the city.
Source:UNESCO
Mérida, Spain
Mérida is the capital of the autonomous community of Extremadura, western central Spain. It has a population of 57,127 . The Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993.- Climate :...
is one of the largest and most extensive archaeological sites in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Mainly of Emerita Augusta, ancient capital of Lusitania
Lusitania
Lusitania or Hispania Lusitania was an ancient Roman province including approximately all of modern Portugal south of the Douro river and part of modern Spain . It was named after the Lusitani or Lusitanian people...
(current city of Mérida
Mérida, Spain
Mérida is the capital of the autonomous community of Extremadura, western central Spain. It has a population of 57,127 . The Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993.- Climate :...
). It was declared a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in 1993.
Roman Theatre
The theatre was built from 15 to 16 BC and dedicated by the consul Marcus Vipsanius AgrippaMarcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was a Roman statesman and general. He was a close friend, son-in-law, lieutenant and defense minister to Octavian, the future Emperor Caesar Augustus...
. It was renovated in the late 1st or early 2nd century AD, possibly by the emperor Trajan
Trajan
Trajan , was Roman Emperor from 98 to 117 AD. Born into a non-patrician family in the province of Hispania Baetica, in Spain Trajan rose to prominence during the reign of emperor Domitian. Serving as a legatus legionis in Hispania Tarraconensis, in Spain, in 89 Trajan supported the emperor against...
, and again between 330 and 340 during Constantine
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
's reign, when a walkway and new decorative elements were added. With the advent of Christianity as Rome's sole state religion, theatrical performances were officially declared immoral: the theatre was abandoned and most of its fabric was covered with earth, leaving only its upper tiers of seats (summa cavea). In Spanish tradition, these were known as "The Seven Chairs" in which several Moorish kings held court to decide the fate of the city.
Roman Amphitheatre
The amphitheatre was dedicated in 8 BC, for use in gladiatorial contests and staged beast-hunts. It has an elliptical arena, surrounded by tiered seating for 15,000 spectators. The seating is divided according to the requirements of Augustan ideology, with the lowest seats reserved for the highest status spectators. Only this lowest tier survives. When the games fell into disuse, the amphitheatre's upper tiers were quarried for stone, for use in new buildings nearby.Roman Circus
The circus of Emerita Augusta was built some time around 20 BC, and was in use for many years before its dedication some thirty years later, probably during the reign of Augustus' successor, TiberiusTiberius
Tiberius , was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. His mother divorced Nero and married Augustus in 39 BC, making him a step-son of Octavian...
. It was sited outside the city walls, alongside the road that connected Emeritus in Corduba (Córdoba
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
) with Toletum (Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
). The arena plan was of elongated U-shape, with one end semicircular and the other flattened. A lengthwise spina formed a central divide within, to provide a continuous trackway for two-horse
Biga (chariot)
The biga is the two-horse chariot as used in ancient Rome for sport, transportation, and ceremonies. Other animals may replace horses in art and occasionally for actual ceremonies. The term biga is also used by modern scholars for the similar chariots of other Indo-European cultures, particularly...
and four-horse
Quadriga
A quadriga is a car or chariot drawn by four horses abreast . It was raced in the Ancient Olympic Games and other contests. It is represented in profile as the chariot of gods and heroes on Greek vases and in bas-relief. The quadriga was adopted in ancient Roman chariot racing...
chariot racing
Chariot racing
Chariot racing was one of the most popular ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine sports. Chariot racing was often dangerous to both driver and horse as they frequently suffered serious injury and even death, but generated strong spectator enthusiasm...
. The track was surrounded by ground level cellae, with tiered stands above. At some 400m long and 100m wide, the Circus was the city's largest building, and could seat about 30,000 spectators – the city's entire population, more or less. Like most circuses throughout the Roman Empire, Merida's circus resembled a much scaled-down version of Rome's Circus Maximus
Circus Maximus
The Circus Maximus is an ancient Roman chariot racing stadium and mass entertainment venue located in Rome, Italy. Situated in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills, it was the first and largest stadium in ancient Rome and its later Empire...
.
Roman bridge over the Guadiana
Can be considered, somehow, as the source of the city and in any event, which marks its route to be extended from one of the main arteries of the colony, the Decumanus MaximusDecumanus Maximus
In Roman city planning, a decumanus was an east-west-oriented road in a Roman city, castra , or colonia. The main decumanus was the Decumanus Maximus, which normally connected the Porta Praetoria to the Porta Decumana .This name comes from the fact that the via decumana or decimana In Roman city...
.
The situation of the bridge is carefully selected at a ford of the river Guadiana
Guadiana
The Guadiana , or Odiana, is an international river located on the Portuguese–Spanish border, separating Extremadura and Andalucia from Alentejo and Algarve...
offered as a support a central island that divides it into two channels. The original structure did not provide the continuity of the present, as it was composed by two sections of arches joined in the island, where a large Starling
Starling (architecture)
In architecture, a starling or, more commonly, cutwater is a defensive bulwark, usually built with pilings or bricks, surrounding the supports of a bridge or similar construction...
. This was replaced by several arcs in the seventeenth century, after a flood dated in 1603 damaged part of the structure. In Roman times the length was extended several times, adding at least five consecutive sections of arches so that the road is not cut during the periodic flooding of the Guadiana. That has made this work reaches the 792 m long, one of the largest remaining at that time.
Aqueduct of Los Milagros
Part of the transfer that brought water to Merida from the Proserpina DamProserpina Dam
The Proserpina Dam is a Roman gravity dam in Badajoz , Extremadura, Spain, dating to the 1st or 2nd century AD. It was built as part of the infrastructure which supplied the city of Emerita Augusta with water....
located 5 km from the city. Dates from the early 1st B.C. century.
The arcade is now fairly well preserved, especially the section that spans the valley of the river Albarregas.
It is known by this name, because it seems a miracle that it was still standing.
Aqueduct of Rabo de Buey-San Lázaro
Brought water from streams and underground springs located north of the city; the subterranean part of the aqueduct is very well preserved but of the structure built to cross the Albarregas valley, there only survives three pillars and their arches next to the monument of the Roman circus and to another aqueduct of the 16th century, in which material was reused from the Roman aqueduct.Temple of Diana
This temple is a municipal building belonging to the city forum. It is one of the few buildings of religious character preserved in a satisfactory state. Despite its name, wrongly assigned in its discovery, the building was dedicated to the Imperial cult. It was built in the late 1st century B.C. or early in the AugustanAugustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
era.
Rectangular, and surrounded by columns, it faces the front of the city's Forum. This front was formed by a set of six columns ending in a gable. It is mainly built of granite.
Arch of Trajan
Entrance arch, possibly the provincial forum. Was located in the Cardo Maximus, one of the main streets of the city and reported it to the municipal forum. In his time was covered with marble.Made of granite and marble wrapped in origin, it measures 13.97 meters high, 5.70 m wide and 8.67 m for arc flash. It is believed to have a triumphal character, although it could also serve as a prelude to the Provincial Forum. Immersed in the maze and masked by modern construction nearby houses, this arch stands majestic and admired by travelers and historians of all time. Its name is arbitrary, as the commemorative inscription was lost centuries ago.
House of the Mithraeum
It was found fortuitously in the early 1960s, and is located on the southern slope of Mount San Albín. Its proximity to the location of Merida's MithraeumMithraeum
A Mithraeum is a place of worship for the followers of the mystery religion of Mithraism.The Mithraeum was either an adapted natural cave or cavern or an artificial building imitating a cavern. Mithraea were dark and windowless, even if they were not actually in a subterranean space or in a natural...
led to its current name. The whole house was built in concrete blocks reinforced corners. Highlights the peristyle house with interior garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
and a room of the famous western sector Cosmogonic Mosaic, allegorical of the elements of nature (rivers, winds, etc.) chaired by the figure of Aion
Aion
Aion may refer to:In music:*Aion , a Japanese metal band**Aion , their 1992 album*Aion , a Polish gothic metal band*Aion , a 2003 album...
. The complex has been roofed and fitted out to visit recently.
Los Columbarios
With this name are called two buildings funeralFuneral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
, held in the open, outside the walls
Walls
- Other uses :*Wall's , a company that makes ice cream*Wall's sausages, a British sausage brand*Walls, an episode of Power Rangers S.P.D.- Music :*Walls EP, a 2005 album by The Red Paintings*Walls , 2007...
of the Roman city. Both are the best example of funerary constructions Emeritus. The materials used for manufacturing are the masonry and granite masonry. In the two sections are preserved identification epigraphies
Epigraphy
Epigraphy Epigraphy Epigraphy (from the , literally "on-writing", is the study of inscriptions or epigraphs as writing; that is, the science of identifying the graphemes and of classifying their use as to cultural context and date, elucidating their meaning and assessing what conclusions can be...
of the owner families (the Vaconios and Julios) as it has been known the origin and condition of them.
Alcazaba
Next to the Roman bridge of the GuadianaGuadiana
The Guadiana , or Odiana, is an international river located on the Portuguese–Spanish border, separating Extremadura and Andalucia from Alentejo and Algarve...
River. Built by Abderraman II in 835 d. C. as a stronghold to control the city, which since 805 had rebelled continuously against the rule of the Emirate. First Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
citadel of the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
.
It is a complex construct, consisting of a large area of 130 square meters on a side capable of accommodating a large number of troops. Inside are a wonderful aljibe, where building is unique, consisting of an inexhaustible water tank (filtered from the Guadiana) that was accessed with a double row from the ground floor of a tower. At one end was built a convent for the Order of Santiago and is now the seat of the presidency of the Junta de Extremadura
Junta de Extremadura
The Junta de Extremadura is the collegial body that performs the functions of the Government of the Autonomous Community of Extremadura. Also, in accordance with the general guidelines of the President, establishes policy and directs the administration of the Autonomous Region exercises the...
. Next to the Roman bridge is attached another smaller room, called Alcazarejo, which controlled the river crossing the city.
Concatedral of Santa María La Mayor
Other sights and attractions
- House of the amphitheater. So named because it stands next to the amphitheater. Should be stressed that it actually found is a set of two houses: the "House of the Water Tower", and on the other hand, the actual "House of the amphitheater."
- Archaeological site of Morerías. The name of this site refers to its previous existence as an Arab neighborhood. There are also Roman remains. Above it stands the Morerías avant-garde building, headquarters of several departments of the Junta de Extremadura.
- Roman bridge over the river Albarregas. Its construction was made in the reign of Augustus, in order to save the river Albarregas before emptying into the river GuadianaGuadianaThe Guadiana , or Odiana, is an international river located on the Portuguese–Spanish border, separating Extremadura and Andalucia from Alentejo and Algarve...
to barely a few hundred yards downstream. From here started the Via de la PlataVia de la PlataThe Vía de La Plata or Ruta de la Plata is an ancient commercial and pilgrimage path that crosses the west of Spain from north to south, connecting Mérida to Astorga, and in extension Seville with the Bay of Biscay, at Gijón...
to Astorga. Is 145 meters long.
- Gate of the Forum. Erected in the first century It was restored in the last century based on some of the findings in place, many of which are preserved in the National Museum of Roman Art. The monument consists of an arcaded building with a wall which is home to diverse niches for statues found here. It is located near the Temple of Diana in one of two forums held Mérida: one local and one provincial located in the Cardus Maximus.
- Roman Baths of San Lázaro. These springs located in the San Lazaro Linear Park, the citizens enjoyed high rank who came to the events in the Roman Circus.
- Roman Baths and snow pit of the C/ Reyes Huertas. Used by the Romans as well snow and cold water baths, is unique in the Roman EmpireRoman EmpireThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. It was also used for storage of perishable goods.
- Crypt of Santa Eulalia, Santa Eulalia archaeological site. In the basement of the Basilica of Santa Eulalia is a very interesting site that describes the various vicissitudes he suffered this church from its construction to present day.
- Obelisk of Santa Eulalia. Built in the seventeenth century in honor of the martyr patroness of Merida, being used in various building materials among them Roman pieces, including three cylindrical and a capital interest. Crowning the whole is the image of the martyr, a reworked judicial robes.
- Xenodoquio. Only remnant of Visigothic architecture preserved in Spain that has no liturgical character. It was built by Bishop Mason in the second half of the 6th century. Near the Basilica of Santa Eulalia de Mérida, served as a hospital and shelter of the pilgrims who came to venerate the remains of the child martyr, also used as a hospital for the poor of the city.
- Convento de San Andrés. Founded in 1571 by the Dominican Order of Santo Domingo. The main facade of the temple was exhibited patterns of action and framework of the city. There remain only the church and the main facade whose cover you can see an image of Santo Domingo. Recent excavations at the site of the monastery have uncovered interesting archeological data that provide insights into the historical evolution of this part of Old Town. The centuries 3rd 4th features a mosaic that decorated a Roman house located within the city walls. Visigothic has discovered one of the oldest churches in the city of San Andrés. During the Islamic period the site was occupied by a cemetery and the 12th century are remains of a new wall that would enclose the Islamic city. With the arrival of the Christians, 13th century, restored the former Visigothic church, bringing with her a cemetery. Already in the 16th century the monastery was founded today.
- Castellum aquae. Situated on top of Calvario Street, was the end of the Aqueduct of Los Milagros and the principle of water distribution throughout the city.
- Dolmen Lácara. National Monument since 1931. Situated on the outskirts of the city, has a circular chamber of 5.10 meters in diameter, a corridor 20 meters long, and a mound of stones and earth covering the construction, with a height of 3.50 meters elliptical shape that reaches 35 meters at its axis.
- Cornalvo and Proserpina Reservoirs. Near Mérida find those who might be the oldest reservoirs in Spain: Swamp Nature Park Cornalvo and ProserpinaProserpinaProserpina or Proserpine is an ancient Roman goddess whose story is the basis of a myth of Springtime. Her Greek goddess' equivalent is Persephone. The probable origin of her name comes from the Latin, "proserpere" or "to emerge," in respect to the growing of grain...
Reservoir (around he has built a residential suburb of Merida and place of leisure in summer) that have traditionally been considered of Roman origin, although some scholars now argue its medieval origins.
Protected sites
| Code | Name | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 664-001 | Aqueduct of los Milagros | Mérida |
| 664-002 | Aqueduct of San Lázaro | Mérida |
| 664-003 | Sewer | Mérida |
| 664-004 | Alcazaba | Mérida |
| 664-005 | Amphitheatre | Mérida |
| 664-006 | Arch of Trajan Arch of Trajan The Arch of Trajan is an ancient Roman triumphal arch in Benevento, southern Italy. It was erected to celebrate emperor Trajan across the Via Appia, at its entrance in the city.-History:The arch was built between 114 and 117.... |
Mérida |
| 664-007 | Xenodoquio | Mérida |
| 664-008 | Basílica Casa Herrera | Mérida |
| 664-009 | Basilica of Santa Eulalia | Mérida |
| 664-010 | House Amphitheatre | Mérida |
| 664-011 | House Mitreo | Mérida |
| 664-012 | Circus | Mérida |
| 664-013 | Visigothic Art Collection | Mérida |
| 664-014 | Columbarios | Mérida |
| 664-015 | Dique del Guadiana | Mérida |
| 664-016 | Cornalvo Reservoir | Mérida |
| 664-017 | Proserpina Reservoir | Mérida |
| 664-018 | Forum | Mérida |
| 664-019 | City walls | Mérida |
| 664-020 | National Museum of Roman Art | Mérida |
| 664-021 | Obelisk of Santa Eulalia | Mérida |
| 664-022 | Bridge of Albarregas river | Mérida |
| 664-023 | Bridge of Guadiana river | Mérida |
| 664-024 | Theatre | Mérida |
| 664-025 | Temple of Diana | Mérida |
| 664-026 | Temple of the Concordia | Mérida |
| 664-027 | Temple of Mars | Mérida |
| 664-028 | Baths c/ Diego M.ª Creuet | Mérida |
| 664-029 | Roman Baths of Alange | Alange Alange Alange is a municipality located in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. the municipality has a population of 2013 inhabitants.It is home to Roman baths a medieval castle , located on a hill commanding the Matachel river. It was hold by the Order of Santiago from the 1240s, and was... |
Source:UNESCO