Bestigium / Mérida
The nine Méridas, layer by layer

Mérida is not a Roman city

It is nine cities stacked on the same ford of the Guadiana. This catalogue pulls them apart layer by layer: 67 sites, from the aqueduct that was still carrying water in the 20th century down to the megalithic tomb that stood here four thousand years before the Roman colony. It reads newest first.

67Sites catalogued
9Layers of time
38Nationally listed
184Sourced facts
193Verified sources

Photograph: Bestigium

19th – 21st c. 2 sites
1 listed
2 facts

Modern

2 sites catalogued

The living city still runs on Roman engineering: the San Lázaro aqueduct was raised higher to supply Mérida into the 20th century, and the Vía de la Plata — the Roman road north — is now a signposted branch of the Camino de Santiago.

San Lázaro aqueduct: early modern stretch — aqueduct2facts San Lázaro aqueduct: early modern stretch Aqueduct ListedStanding Trackno photograph yet Vía de la Plata: today’s Camino de Santiago route Track
Fact · San Lázaro aqueduct: early modern stretch

Cutting a pedestrian passage under the aqueduct revealed what it was carrying inside: one lead pipe and two more of ceramic, embedded in the wall.

Visitar Mérida — Acueducto de San Lázaro
16th – 18th c. 9 sites
6 listed
38 facts

Early modern

9 sites catalogued

When the quarries ran dry, builders took what Rome had left. The Temple of Diana was swallowed by a nobleman's palace, and the cathedral went up on columns and capitals lifted from the colony.

Temple of Mars — temple3facts Temple of Mars Temple ListedStanding Basilica of Santa Eulalia — church/chapel4facts Basilica of Santa Eulalia Church/Chapel ListedStanding Roman bridge over the Guadiana — bridge5facts Roman bridge over the Guadiana Bridge ListedStanding Co-cathedral of Santa María la Mayor — church/chapel6facts Co-cathedral of Santa María la Mayor Church/Chapel Standing Santa Clara church: the MNAR Visigothic collection — museo arqueológico6facts Santa Clara church: the MNAR Visigothic collection Museo arqueológico Standing Baths and ice well — baths3facts Baths and ice well Baths ListedFoundations San Lázaro aqueduct: early modern stretch — aqueduct2facts San Lázaro aqueduct: early modern stretch Aqueduct ListedStanding Townno photograph yet7facts Morerías archaeological site Town ListedRuined Bridgeno photograph yet2facts Roman bridge of La Alcantarilla Bridge Standing
Anecdote · Temple of Mars

A fourth complete architrave from the temple served as a doorstep until 1942, when it was finally moved to the National Museum of Roman Art. For centuries people simply trod on a piece of the temple front.

Extremadura: caminos de cultura — Restos del Templo de Marte en el Hornito
13th – 15th c. 9 sites
4 listed
36 facts

Christian medieval

9 sites catalogued

After 1230 Mérida belongs to the Order of Santiago. The citadel is rebuilt, the cathedral raised, and the Roman bridges patched with pointed arches you can still pick out with the naked eye.

The Alcazaba of Mérida — castle7facts The Alcazaba of Mérida Castle ListedStanding Basilica of Santa Eulalia — church/chapel4facts Basilica of Santa Eulalia Church/Chapel ListedStanding Roman bridge over the Guadiana — bridge5facts Roman bridge over the Guadiana Bridge ListedStanding Medieval bridge of Las Tiendas — bridge Medieval bridge of Las Tiendas Bridge Standing Co-cathedral of Santa María la Mayor — church/chapel6facts Co-cathedral of Santa María la Mayor Church/Chapel Standing Townno photograph yet7facts Morerías archaeological site Town ListedRuined Church/Chapelno photograph yet3facts Hermitage of San Serván and San Germán Church/Chapel Ruined Mansio romanano photograph yet4facts Evandriana: Roman mansio and monastery of Cauliana Mansio romana Trackno photograph yet Vía de la Plata: today’s Camino de Santiago route Track
Fact · The Alcazaba of Mérida

It is the oldest Muslim fortification surviving in the Iberian Peninsula: the emir Abd al-Rahman II had it raised in the year 835, and not to defend the city from anyone outside, but to hold down a Mérida in permanent revolt.

Alcazaba de Mérida — Wikipedia
713 – 1230 5 sites
4 listed
26 facts

Islamic (al-Andalus)

5 sites catalogued

Abd al-Rahman II ordered the alcazaba built in 835 to hold down a city that kept rising against him. It is the oldest surviving Muslim fortress in the Iberian Peninsula, and its cistern draws straight from the Guadiana.

The Alcazaba of Mérida — castle7facts The Alcazaba of Mérida Castle ListedStanding Roman wall and Albarrana tower — city wall4facts Roman wall and Albarrana tower City wall ListedRuined Early Christian basilica of Casa Herrera — church/chapel5facts Early Christian basilica of Casa Herrera Church/Chapel Foundations Baths and ice well — baths3facts Baths and ice well Baths ListedFoundations Townno photograph yet7facts Morerías archaeological site Town ListedRuined
Fact · The Alcazaba of Mérida

It is the oldest Muslim fortification surviving in the Iberian Peninsula: the emir Abd al-Rahman II had it raised in the year 835, and not to defend the city from anyone outside, but to hold down a Mérida in permanent revolt.

Alcazaba de Mérida — Wikipedia
5th – 8th c. 8 sites
3 listed
41 facts

Late Antique / Visigothic

8 sites catalogued

Mérida is a capital and a metropolitan see. This is where the xenodochium of bishop Masona stood — a 6th-century hospital — and where Spain's finest collection of Visigothic sculpture was found, now held in the church of Santa Clara.

Basilica of Santa Eulalia — church/chapel4facts Basilica of Santa Eulalia Church/Chapel ListedStanding Co-cathedral of Santa María la Mayor — church/chapel6facts Co-cathedral of Santa María la Mayor Church/Chapel Standing Santa Clara church: the MNAR Visigothic collection — museo arqueológico6facts Santa Clara church: the MNAR Visigothic collection Museo arqueológico Standing Early Christian basilica of Casa Herrera — church/chapel5facts Early Christian basilica of Casa Herrera Church/Chapel Foundations Baths and ice well — baths3facts Baths and ice well Baths ListedFoundations Townno photograph yet7facts Morerías archaeological site Town ListedRuined Xenodoquio visigodono photograph yet6facts Xenodochium of Mérida: bishop Masona’s hospital Xenodoquio visigodo Foundations Mansio romanano photograph yet4facts Evandriana: Roman mansio and monastery of Cauliana Mansio romana
Fact · Basilica of Santa Eulalia

The «hornito» on the front is built from the stones of a Roman temple: on its porch you can still read «Marti sacrum Vetilla Paculi», the dedication to Mars paid for by Vetilla, wife of Paculus, reused for a Baroque chapel in honour of a Christian martyr.

Ruta de la Plata — Templo de Marte y cripta de Santa Eulalia
25 BC – 5th c. 58 sites
36 listed
163 facts

Roman

58 sites catalogued

Augusta Emerita, founded in 25 BC for veterans of the Cantabrian wars. Capital of Lusitania and later of the whole Diocese of Hispania: theatre, amphitheatre, circus, two fora, two aqueducts, two dams and a ring of country villas.

Los Milagros aqueduct — aqueduct16facts Los Milagros aqueduct Aqueduct ListedStanding Cornalvo aqueduct — aqueduct3facts Cornalvo aqueduct Aqueduct ListedRuined Forum of Augusta Emerita — forum3facts Forum of Augusta Emerita Forum ListedRuined Temple of Mars — temple3facts Temple of Mars Temple ListedStanding San Lázaro aqueduct — aqueduct1fact San Lázaro aqueduct Aqueduct ListedRuined The Alcazaba of Mérida — castle7facts The Alcazaba of Mérida Castle ListedStanding Casa del Mitreo — villa6facts Casa del Mitreo Villa ListedRuined Columbarios funerary area — necropolis6facts Columbarios funerary area Necropolis ListedRuined Basilica of Santa Eulalia — church/chapel4facts Basilica of Santa Eulalia Church/Chapel ListedStanding Roman wall and Albarrana tower — city wall4facts Roman wall and Albarrana tower City wall ListedRuined Carija quarry — mine/quarry3facts Carija quarry Mine/Quarry Roman bridge over the Guadiana — bridge5facts Roman bridge over the Guadiana Bridge ListedStanding Roman bridge over the Albarregas — bridge3facts Roman bridge over the Albarregas Bridge ListedStanding Decumanus Maximus — roman road Decumanus Maximus Roman road ListedFoundations Temple of Diana — temple8facts Temple of Diana Temple ListedStanding Casa del Anfiteatro — villa7facts Casa del Anfiteatro Villa ListedRuined Arch of Trajan — arco monumental romano6facts Arch of Trajan Arco monumental romano ListedStanding Co-cathedral of Santa María la Mayor — church/chapel6facts Co-cathedral of Santa María la Mayor Church/Chapel Standing Roman theatre of Mérida — theatre6facts Roman theatre of Mérida Theatre ListedStanding Early Christian basilica of Casa Herrera — church/chapel5facts Early Christian basilica of Casa Herrera Church/Chapel Foundations Proserpina dam — presa/embalse romano5facts Proserpina dam Presa/embalse romano ListedStanding Roman amphitheatre of Mérida — amphitheatre5facts Roman amphitheatre of Mérida Amphitheatre ListedRuined Roman dam of Cornalvo — presa / embalse romano5facts Roman dam of Cornalvo Presa / embalse romano ListedStanding National Museum of Roman Art (MNAR) — museo arqueológico4facts National Museum of Roman Art (MNAR) Museo arqueológico ListedStanding Roman circus of Mérida — circus4facts Roman circus of Mérida Circus ListedFoundations Temple of the imperial cult — temple4facts Temple of the imperial cult Temple ListedFoundations Baths and ice well — baths3facts Baths and ice well Baths ListedFoundations Roman villa of El Hinojal — villa3facts Roman villa of El Hinojal Villa Foundations San Lázaro baths — baths3facts San Lázaro baths Baths ListedFoundations Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida — conjunto arqueológico / patrimonio mundial unesco2facts Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida Conjunto arqueológico / Patrimonio Mundial UNESCO Listed Mine/Quarryno photograph yet Proserpina quarry 1 Mine/Quarry Mine/Quarryno photograph yet Proserpina quarry 2 Mine/Quarry Mine/Quarryno photograph yet Rojaneros quarry Mine/Quarry Villano photograph yet Roman villa of Araya Villa Ruined Townno photograph yet7facts Morerías archaeological site Town ListedRuined Church/Chapelno photograph yet3facts Hermitage of San Serván and San Germán Church/Chapel Ruined Centro de interpretación / Museo municipalno photograph yet2facts Mérida Open Museum (MAM) Centro de interpretación / Museo municipal Listed Bridgeno photograph yet2facts Roman bridge of La Alcantarilla Bridge Standing Dique / obra de contención romanano photograph yet2facts Roman embankment on the Guadiana Dique / obra de contención romana ListedStanding Criptopórtico / cisterna romanano photograph yet1fact Cryptoporticus on calle Almendralejo Criptopórtico / cisterna romana ListedRuined Necropolisno photograph yet1fact Los Bodegones necropolis Necropolis Necropolisno photograph yet Bridge necropolis Necropolis Castellum aquae (torre de agua)no photograph yet Castellum aquae at Cerro del Calvario Castellum aquae (torre de agua) ListedRuined Necropolisno photograph yet El Agua necropolis Necropolis ListedFoundations Villano photograph yet House-basilica by the Roman theatre Villa ListedRuined Villano photograph yet La Fernandina: Roman farmstead and chamber tombs Villa Surface finds Presa / embalse romanono photograph yet Roman dam of Araya Presa / embalse romano Ruined Presa / embalse romanono photograph yet Roman dam of Esparragalejo (Charca Grande) Presa / embalse romano Standing Villano photograph yet Roman farmstead at Cerro de las Palomas Villa Surface finds Piscina limaria (decantador)no photograph yet Settling tank of the Los Milagros aqueduct Piscina limaria (decantador) Listed Roman roadno photograph yet Vía de la Plata: Pa La Charca stretch Roman road Foundations Mansio romanano photograph yet4facts Evandriana: Roman mansio and monastery of Cauliana Mansio romana Forumno photograph yet1fact Provincial imperial cult complex (the old «Provincial Forum») Forum ListedFoundations Aqueductno photograph yet Aqua Augusta: upper stretch of the Cornalvo aqueduct Aqueduct Foundations Villano photograph yet Casa de la Torre del Agua Villa ListedFoundations Aqueductno photograph yet Las Tomas – Rabo de Buey aqueduct Aqueduct Foundations Roman roadno photograph yet Roman road east of Augusta Emerita (Via XXV to Toletum) Roman road Foundations Roman roadno photograph yet Roman road north-east of Augusta Emerita (Trujillanos stretch) Roman road Foundations
Fact · Los Milagros aqueduct

It is not called «de los Milagros» — of the Miracles — for any religious wonder: the name comes from local amazement that such a mass should still be standing century after century, to the point of taking it for a miracle.

Turismo de Extremadura
8th – 3rd c. BC 2 sites
0 listed
0 facts

Iron Age

2 sites catalogued

People were here before Rome. El Turuñuelo and the pottery kilns under the catering college belong to the Tartessian orientalising world, six centuries older than the colony.

Túmulo orientalizanteno photograph yet El Turuñuelo: orientalising barrow Túmulo orientalizante Surface finds Alfar / hornos cerámicosno photograph yet Orientalising pottery kilns at the catering college Alfar / hornos cerámicos
3000 – 2200 BC 2 sites
1 listed
7 facts

Copper Age

2 sites catalogued

Prado de Lácara holds a megalithic funerary complex with at least two barrows — four thousand years before anyone thought of founding a Roman colony at the ford of the Guadiana.

Prado de Lácara dolmen — dolmen7facts Prado de Lácara dolmen Dolmen ListedStanding Dolmenno photograph yet Second megalithic barrow at Prado de Lácara Dolmen Surface finds
Anecdote · Prado de Lácara dolmen

In the late 19th or early 20th century somebody blew the chamber's capstone off with dynamite: the dolmen was being used as a stone quarry.

Dolmen del prado de Lácara — Wikipedia
4000 – 3000 BC 2 sites
1 listed
7 facts

Neolithic

2 sites catalogued

The Lácara dolmen, with 24 metres of passage, is one of the largest megalithic tombs in the peninsula. It was already standing long before the idea of Mérida existed.

Prado de Lácara dolmen — dolmen7facts Prado de Lácara dolmen Dolmen ListedStanding Dolmenno photograph yet Second megalithic barrow at Prado de Lácara Dolmen Surface finds
Anecdote · Prado de Lácara dolmen

In the late 19th or early 20th century somebody blew the chamber's capstone off with dynamite: the dolmen was being used as a stone quarry.

Dolmen del prado de Lácara — Wikipedia
Frequently asked

What people ask before coming

What can you see in Mérida for free?

The 17 € combined ticket covers nine enclosed sites — Theatre, Amphitheatre, Casa del Mitreo, Columbarios, Alcazaba, Casa del Anfiteatro, Basilica of Santa Eulalia, Morerías and Circus. Everything else in this catalogue is open ground. Without paying anything you can see the Milagros aqueduct, the Roman bridge over the Guadiana, the Temple of Diana from the street, the Forum Portico, the Arch of Trajan, the Proserpina and Cornalvo dams, and the Prado de Lácara dolmen.

How long do you need in Mérida?

The walled centre — Theatre, Amphitheatre, Temple of Diana, Forum Portico, Alcazaba and Roman bridge — is a comfortable four hours on foot. Add the Milagros aqueduct and the Circus and it is another 40 minutes of walking from the centre. What lies outside town (Proserpina, Cornalvo, Lácara, Casa Herrera) needs a car and a second day.

How much of the Milagros aqueduct is left?

A stretch of about 830 metres crossing the Albarregas valley, 25 metres tall at its deepest point, with 73 piers still standing. The fabric is opus mixtum: a concrete core faced with granite blocks alternating with courses of red brick, which is where its two-tone banding comes from. It carried water from the Proserpina dam, 5 km to the north-west. Free to visit, and lit at night.

Is there anything left of Visigothic and Islamic Mérida?

Yes, and almost nobody tells you about it: the xenodochium of bishop Masona (a 6th-century Visigothic hospital), the Visigothic collection of the National Museum of Roman Art in the church of Santa Clara, the Umayyad alcazaba with its cistern fed by the Guadiana, the basilica of Casa Herrera, and the full Roman–Visigothic–Islamic–Christian sequence exposed at the Morerías site.

Where are the objects found in the excavations?

Most are in the National Museum of Roman Art, including the original sculptures from the Forum Portico and the Temple of Diana — what you see on the monuments are casts. The Visigothic collection is in the church of Santa Clara, and the finds from the Lácara dolmen are in the provincial museum in Badajoz.

Is the 17 € combined ticket worth it?

Yes if you plan to enter three sites or more: bought separately, the Theatre and Amphitheatre alone come to 12 €. No if you are passing through and only have time for the Theatre. What the ticket does not cover is roughly half the catalogue: dams, aqueducts, dolmens and cemeteries are all free.

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