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Roman Theatre (Mérida)

1st-century BC establishments in the Roman RepublicAncient Roman theatres in SpainBuildings and structures completed in the 1st century BCBuildings and structures in Mérida, SpainHistory of Extremadura
Marcus Vipsanius AgrippaTourist attractions in Extremadura
Teatro de Mérida, España, 2017 18
Teatro de Mérida, España, 2017 18

The Roman Theatre of Mérida is a construction promoted by the consul Vipsanius Agrippa in the Roman city of Emerita Augusta, capital of Lusitania (current Mérida, Spain). It was constructed in the years 16 to 15 BCE. One of the most famous and visited landmarks in Spain, the Roman Theatre of Mérida is regarded as a Spanish cultural icon and was chosen as one of the 12 Treasures of Spain. The theatre has undergone several renovations, notably at the end of the 1st century or early 2nd century CE (possibly during the reign of Emperor Trajan), when the current facade of the scaenae frons was erected, and another in the time of Constantine I (between 330 and 340), which introduced new decorative-architectural elements and a walkway around the monument. Following the theatre's abandonment in Late Antiquity, it was slowly covered with earth, with only the upper tiers of seats (summa cavea) remaining visible. In local folklore the site was referred to as "The Seven Chairs", where, according to tradition, several Moorish kings sat to decide the fate of the city. It was built as part of an entertainment complex together with the Amphitheatre of Mérida. Nowadays both are part of the Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida, which is one of the largest and most extensive archaeological sites in Spain. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Roman Theatre (Mérida) (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Roman Theatre (Mérida)
Calle José Ramón Mélida, Merida San Antonio

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Latitude Longitude
N 38.915388888889 ° E -6.3385 °
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Conjunto Arqueológico de Mérida

Calle José Ramón Mélida
06800 Merida, San Antonio
Extremadura, Spain
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Teatro de Mérida, España, 2017 18
Teatro de Mérida, España, 2017 18
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Alcazaba of Mérida
Alcazaba of Mérida

The Alcazaba of Mérida is a ninth-century Muslim fortification in Mérida, Spain. Like other historical edifices in the city, it is part of the UNESCO Heritage List.Located near the Roman bridge over the Guadiana river, the Puente Romano, it was built by emir Abd ar-Rahman II of Córdoba in 835 to command the city, which had rebelled in 805. It was the first Muslim alcazaba (a type of fortification in the Iberian peninsula), and includes a big squared line of walls, every side measuring 130 metres in length, 10 m of height and 2.7 m thickness, built re-using Roman walls and Roman-Visigothic edifices in granite. The walls include 25 towers with quadrangular base, which also served as counterforts. Inside is an aljibe, a rainwater tank including a cistern to collect and filter water from the river.The Alcazaba is accessed from the Puente Romano through a small enclosure, traditionally known Alcarazejo. This was used to check the traffic of pedestrians and goods to the city. Annexed is the military area, whose gate is flanked by two towers; over the horseshoe-shaped arc is an inscription celebrating Abd ar-Rahman's patronage of the work.Also annexed to the Alcazaba was a convent of the Order of Santiago, currently home to the council of the Extremadura community. The fortress has yielded other excavated areas containing remnants predating its construction. These include a well-preserved segment of a Roman road, which also extends to the Morerías Archaeological Area, and an urban Roman dwelling that has undergone multiple renovations and faces the same street. Additionally, a portion of the Roman wall is visible, adjacent to a powerful buttress constructed using recycled granite fragments. Similar to the Morerías Archaeological Area, this buttress is believed to date back to the fifth century AD.