Baelo Claudia, Tarifa, Spain

Baelo Claudia is a well preserved Roman city in Andalucia, Spain, founded in the 2nd century BC. The town was important for fish processing. It was also a centre for trade with Roman towns in North Africa.

The life of the inhabitants reached its greatest splendor during the 1st century BC and the 2nd century AD. In the middle of the 2nd century, however, the town declined, probably as a result of a major earthquake which wiped out a large part. In addition to such natural disasters, by the 3rd century, the town was beset by hordes of pirates, both Germanic and Barbary. Although it experienced a slight renaissance later in the century, by the 6th century, the town had been abandoned.

Excavations have revealed the most comprehensive remains of a Roman town in the whole of the Iberian Peninsula, with extremely interesting monuments such as the basilica, theatre, market, and the temple of Isis. Today you can visit the museum, walk around the remains, and admire the scenic location.

User Reviews

Laura John (12 months ago)
Amazing place to visit and it's free! A whole Roman town. Don't miss it.

Oliver Klaus (12 months ago)
Very interesting place to learn more about the Romans in Spain. You should put some sunblock er on if you have a detailed look.

Gary Hardinges (15 months ago)
Excellent place to visit with good access all round with boardwalks and a lift in the main museum. Free entry to European nationals! QR codes everywhere with detailed stainless steel plaques in Spanish and English giving details of the occupation of the site. Fabulous views from the roman theater over the site. Some of the interactive equipment was not working.

Patrick Brazil (15 months ago)
Fantastic stop on our way to Gibralter. Exceeded our expectations and well worth the visit. We could have stayed much longer. BTW, I added a little AI water to the scene. :)

Mike Marks (2 years ago)
Very interesting couple of hours spent here. Dogs not allowed. Most wording is in English and Spanish with QR codes to assist. FREE to EU nationals. Luckily the guy asked if I was German at the counter!

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Christian Lauw

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The Pilgrimage Church of Wies (Wieskirche) is an oval rococo church, designed in the late 1740s by Dominikus Zimmermann. It is located in the foothills of the Alps in the municipality of Steingaden.

The sanctuary of Wies is a pilgrimage church extraordinarily well-preserved in the beautiful setting of an Alpine valley, and is a perfect masterpiece of Rococo art and creative genius, as well as an exceptional testimony to a civilization that has disappeared.

The hamlet of Wies, in 1738, is said to have been the setting of a miracle in which tears were seen on a simple wooden figure of Christ mounted on a column that was no longer venerated by the Premonstratensian monks of the Abbey. A wooden chapel constructed in the fields housed the miraculous statue for some time. However, pilgrims from Germany, Austria, Bohemia, and even Italy became so numerous that the Abbot of the Premonstratensians of Steingaden decided to construct a splendid sanctuary.

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