Emerita Augusta was the capital of the Roman province of Lusitania and since then it has been the nerve center of Extremadura. Today it is the regional capital and the cradle of Roman heritage in southern Spain. Its archaeological and monumental complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attests to its importance for centuries.

Emerita Augusta was planned as a version of the capital of the empire in Lusitania, in its Roman theater a classical theater festival is still held today. The Roman bridge over the Guadiana, with its 800 meters, is the longest in the Iberian Peninsula. Mérida also has other Roman monuments such as the temple of Diana or the aqueduct. Its Arab citadel was also one of the bastions of the Muslim kingdom of Al-Andalus.

Translated by Google •

Thomas Findeisen

January 28, 2022

This city exudes so much Roman flair. We were lucky and came in the middle of the "Emerita X LUDICA" festival, many citizens had dressed up as Romans, Roman soldiers, slave traders and traders were everywhere. 25 BC This city was founded under the name EMERITA Augusta as a settlement for the veterans of the V and X Legions. With 50000 inhabitants it was the largest and most influential city in Iberia. The 800m long PUENTE ROMANO with 60 arches was built in 25 BC and was one of the largest bridges in the entire Roman Empire. The city had three huge theaters: Teatro Romano (here you can still imagine how impressive the games were against this backdrop), the Anfittheater Romano could hold up to 6000 spectators (it could even be flooded for the representation of naval battles ) and the Hippodromo Romano, one of the largest racecourses in the empire. The many magnificent mosaic floors and the finely carved marble statues are impressive. A slave market was held at the Templo de Diana this weekend. When we drove on after this weekend - and one should already spend two days in Merida - the backdrop of the huge Acueducto de los Milagros (Miracle Aqueduct) said goodbye to us. The cool water from the Proserpina dam reached Merida via this waterway. We will also pass this dam and admire the dam wall constructed by the Romans.

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Fernando Jaramillo Romero

February 8, 2022

The largest Roman bridge in Spain

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Elevation 210 m

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Tuesday 4 November

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Max wind speed: 7.0 km/h

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Location: Mérida, Merida, Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain

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Roman Monuments of Mérida

1. Roman city of Merida — circular along the Rio Guadiana

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