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One time
capital of
Lusitania
(combined
kingdoms of
Spain and
Portugal), at
the crossroads
of the Roman
roads from
Toledo,
Salamanca,
Seville
and Lisbon,
Merida was
founded in
25BC. It
boasts some of
the finest
Roman ruins in
the whole of
Spain and
possibly the
world. Merida
is described
as being the
tourist
capital of
Extremadura.
It has also
been described as a 'mini version of Rome'. The longest Roman bridge in
Spain is just one of the monuments worth seeing.
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The origins of Merida have been dated back to 25 years before Christ when Emperor Octavio Augusto ordered the construction of a city to house retired soldiers of the V and X Legions. Much of modern Merida is built on Roman foundations and many of the most important buildings have been uncovered and preserved for all to see. |
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Sights
to see in
Merida
The Roman
Theatre
This is the
jewel of
Merida's Roman
heritage. It
was built by
Agrippa in 15
B.C, just ten years after the city was started and when 6,000
people could
be seated in
the theatre.
In June and
July plays are
still staged
here and up to 3,000 people can be accommodated.
Since 1993 it has been the location for the Festival of Classical Theatre.
Tickets
to walk round the theatre are priced at
5€ (June
2003). This
includes a
visit to the
Theatre and
Amphitheatre.
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The Roman
Amphitheatre
Located next to the theatre is the amphitheatre where gladiator and animal shows would take place in Roman times.
With its oval floorplan it could house up to 14,000 spectators. There were three monumental gates allowing access. The ruins of a Roman mansion where found close by. Now known as the House of the Amphitheatre but it was not part of the main structure. This discovery has illustrated how the upper class Romans lived, in particular the quality of the building materials. |
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The
Aqueducts
There is over
5 miles of
aqueduct
running though
Merida,
although there
isn't a
section as
complete as
the one at Segovia.
The Acueducto de
los Milagros on the
northwest side
of town is the
most complete. This aqueduct supplied water to the city from the Dam of Proserpina, 5km away. It was a series of arches of 830 metres long and 25 metres high.
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The Roman
Bridge
Consisting of
64 Granite
arches, the
longest in
Roman Spain,
it's now a
footbridge
over the
Guadiana
river. The
modern bridge
you see behind
it was used to
take the load
off the
ancient one;
it wasn't
until 1993
that the Roman
bridge was
decommissioned
as the main
entrance into
town for
vehicle
traffic. |
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The
Alcazabar
Constructed in
the year 835
from the
remains of a
Roman fort, it
is located
near the Roman
Bridge, which
it was
designed to
protect. There
are great
views from the
top.
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Temple of
Diana
Right in the
centre of town
is a strange
looking Roman
ruin
consisting of
several
columns. In
the 17th
century a
nobleman built
a rather large
residence
inside the
columns, using
four of them
in the
construction
of the house
itself. |
Our visits to Merida
We have been here twice now and stayed a couple of days. We found that this was sufficient to get an insight into Merida but would have liked more time to see more. The Roman ruins are very impressive, well preserved and well presented to the public.
The people of Merida have a wonderful, friendly nature and made us welcome wherever we went. The hotels are of a high standard and plentiful. The food is great and there are lots of places to eat, especially the local cuisine. If you like Roman history then Merida should be on your 'to see' list. |
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| Town Council |
924 380 100 |
| Bus Station |
924 371 404 |
| Train Station |
924 318 109 |
| Taxis |
924 311 111 |
| Post Office Merida |
924 312 458 |
| Local Police Emergencies |
092 |
| Guardia Civil |
924 313 108 |
| Red Cross |
924 303 333 |
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Getting to
Merida
Trains: The
RENFE station
in Merida is
located on
Calle Cardero.
There are four
trains to and
from Cáceres
(trip time: 1
hr.), five
trains to and
from Madrid
(4.5-6 hours),
one to and
from Seville
(3 hr.), and
seven to and
from Badajoz
(1 hr.)
Bus: The bus
station is
located on
Avenida de la
Libertad near
the train
station. There
are fewer
buses to
Madrid, but
connections to
Seville (6-8
buses per day)
are much
better.
Car: the N-V
motorway
passes through
Merida from
Madrid or
Lisbon.
Low cost car hire in this part of Spain - Instant quotes, online booking and guaranteed reservations. Access to all the top car hire companies in Spain |
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Museo
Nacional de
Arte Romano
(National
Museum of
Roman Art) in Merida
The Museum,
opened in
1986, provides
an impressive
display of
statues and
other
antiquities
used by the
Romans. its
located in
front of the
entrance to
the theatre
and
amphitheatre. The building was designed by Rafael Moneo. |
The Palace of Conferences, Merida
This was built in 2004 as the perfect place to organise conferences and meetings. |
Fiestas and celebrations in Merida
These include the Great Fair which takes place 1st-15th September, The Small Fair of the Gypsies which takes place on the 12th October and the great carnivals of Easter Week (Semana Santa). |
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