This week, we were talking about the beautiful Catalonian city of Tarragona and one of her Medieval architectural gems. However, the city has much older roots than that and, therefore, there are some more ancient architectural gems that are also worth mentioning. One of these is the Amphitheatre. Located right by the coast and often home to recreation events of the gladiatorial games that once took place in the venue during Roman times, it is a fascinating monument to the city’s ancient past and a must-see for anyone who has found a vacation rental in Catalonia and is spending time exploring Tarragona.
Part of a trio of performance ,or entertainment, buildings – a theatre, a circus, and an amphitheatre – in the city, the Amphitheatre in Tarragona was built at the end of the 1st century BC and the beginning of the 2nd century BC, after a generous donation by an imperial priest. Then known as Tarraco, Tarragona was the capital of the Roman province and was in need of such a facility. It was initially used for two activities, the battling of gladiators and fighting or hunting of animals, and later also became the place in which those sentenced to death were executed.
Located close to Via Augusta, which was near the entrance to the city at the time, and right by the sea, the building is on an elliptical floor plan, measures 130m by 102m, and could house up to 15,000 spectators. After the rise of Christianity, the Amphitheatre was no longer needed to suit the original intended purposes of the building and was, instead, put to use for various other things including acting as a church, as a convent, and then as a prison. It remained abandoned after the prison closed until the mid-20th century, when restoration work began, funded by the Bryant Foundation. It is now open as a historic tourist attraction and even plays host to recreations of gladiatorial combat, offering an intriguing insight into a rather gory part of the history of Spain!
Located close to Via Augusta, which was near the entrance to the city at the time, and right by the sea, the building is on an elliptical floor plan, measures 130m by 102m, and could house up to 15,000 spectators. After the rise of Christianity, the Amphitheatre was no longer needed to suit the original intended purposes of the building and was, instead, put to use for various other things including acting as a church, as a convent, and then as a prison. It remained abandoned after the prison closed until the mid-20th century, when restoration work began, funded by the Bryant Foundation. It is now open as a historic tourist attraction and even plays host to recreations of gladiatorial combat, offering an intriguing insight into a rather gory part of the history of Spain!
Photo credit: SBA73 / CC BY-SA 2.0