Roman Circus, Mérida, Spain

The Roman circus of Mérida was used for chariot racing. It was modelled on the Circus Maximus in Rome and other circus buildings throughout the Empire. Measuring more than 400 m in length and 30 m of width, it is one of the best preserved examples of Roman circus. It could house up to 30,000 spectators.

There is no consensus about the circus' dating, as it was built and used for several years before its official dedication. It seems to have been built sometime around 20 BC and inaugurated some 30 years later. It was located far outside the city walls, but close to the road that connected the city to Toledo and Córdoba.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the rise of Christianity in Spain, the circus saw more use than the other Roman structures of Mérida, since racing was considered less sinful than spectacles performed in the Theatre and the Amphitheatre.

Mérida's circus remains very well preserved with numerous structures, including the Porta Pompae ('main entrance'), the Porta Triumphalis ('triumph gate'), the spina (the longitudinal wall), the tribunal iudicium ('tribune of the judges'). A museum dedicated to the circus now sits near the middle edge of the circus grounds and it allows admittance into the fenced area around the circus remains.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Karol G (15 months ago)
It's very hard to photograph this place and do it justice. It's very much in ruins so maybe not as visually impressive as some of the other sites in Mérida, but what makes it worth it is the sheer scale of it. You really need to walk around it to appreciate it I think.

R Noel (2 years ago)
It was great to see in person that which I had only seen in movies and pictures. The interpretive panels were not plentiful but had information about the races I didn't know and gave me more insight into Roman culture.

Ken Richards (2 years ago)
A big field with ruined terraces. I was 2 millenia late for the chariot races. It was a hot walk to get there too!

Ryan B (2 years ago)
Really cool, but not as much to see as at other sites and out of the way from most main tourist attractions. Would be cool if they did modern chariot racing... they built a highway through it previously and then tore down the road and restored the hippodrome.

Élio Fernandes (4 years ago)
This is much better than Circus Maximus in Rome. Still has the walls preserves so you can really get the idea of the real size of it... Which is HUGE!

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