Roman Theatre, Cádiz, Spain - SpottingHistory.com

The Roman theatre of Cádiz is an ancient structure discovered in 1980. The theatre, which was likely built during the 1st century BC and was one of the largest ever built in the Roman empire, was abandoned in the 4th century and, in the 13th century, a fortress was built on its ruins by order of King Alfonso X of Castile.

The theatre featured a cavea with a diameter of more than 120 meters, and could house some 10,000 spectators. The theatre was one of the few Roman structures of ancient Hispania mentioned by classical authors, including Cicero and Strabo. Excavations in the site have also found remains of a quarter dating to the taifa period, Almohad houses and 17th century pits.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Christopher Davies (3 years ago)
This site was only discovered in the 1980s and shows the remarkable remains of the theatre. The accompanying explanatory displays are excellent. I was particularly taken by the long high arched corridor which gave access to the seating. It gave an insight into how the building worked.

Adam Miles (3 years ago)
THIS IS A GEM OF A PLACE!!!! It may be very hidden and hard to find (even if you have an address) but it is a MUST VISIT LOCATION. And please give a donation - they really, really deserve it!!

Brendan Geraghty (3 years ago)
The Roman theatre is fantastic such a treasure to be found in the middle of Cadiz.. Well worth a visit.

Teresa Davila (3 years ago)
Entry is free and a great experience. History provided and exhibition on how the theatre would have been built. To see Roman ruins up close and in person was wonderful. We could not find it and got turned around a few times just be patient and ask the locals, they are helpful. Check for hours so you don't arrive when closed.

Marta Rodenas (3 years ago)
The entrance is hard to find, google maps takes you to where the ruins are but not the entrance center. There is a picture that describes how to get there if you go to where the Google location takes you. The Roman theatre is free to enter so it’s a must-see for anyone who loves history and is on a budget. The theatre was only discovered in 1980 despite it being there for so long! It was used as a fort at one point as well. All of the history is described in the small museum that’s attached to the ruins.

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Glimmingehus

Glimmingehus is the best preserved medieval stronghold in Scandinavia. It was built 1499-1506, during an era when Scania formed a vital part of Denmark, and contains many defensive arrangements of the era, such as parapets, false doors and dead-end corridors, 'murder-holes' for pouring boiling pitch over the attackers, moats, drawbridges and various other forms of death traps to surprise trespassers and protect the nobles against peasant uprisings. The lower part of the castle's stone walls are 2.4 meters (94 inches) thick and the upper part 1.8 meters (71 inches).

Construction was started in 1499 by the Danish knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand and stone-cutter-mason and architect Adam van Düren, a North German master who also worked on Lund Cathedral. Construction was completed in 1506.

Ulfstand was a councillor, nobleman and admiral serving under John I of Denmark and many objects have been uncovered during archeological excavations that demonstrate the extravagant lifestyle of the knight's family at Glimmingehus up until Ulfstand's death in 1523. Some of the most expensive objects for sale in Europe during this period, such as Venetian glass, painted glass from the Rhine district and Spanish ceramics have been found here. Evidence of the family's wealth can also be seen inside the stone fortress, where everyday comforts for the knight's family included hot air channels in the walls and bench seats in the window recesses. Although considered comfortable for its period, it has also been argued that Glimmingehus was an expression of "Knighthood nostalgia" and not considered opulent or progressive enough even to the knight's contemporaries and especially not to later generations of the Scanian nobility. Glimmingehus is thought to have served as a residential castle for only a few generations before being transformed into a storage facility for grain.

An order from Charles XI to the administrators of the Swedish dominion of Scania in 1676 to demolish the castle, in order to ensure that it would not fall into the hands of the Danish king during the Scanian War, could not be executed. A first attempt, in which 20 Scanian farmers were ordered to assist, proved unsuccessful. An additional force of 130 men were sent to Glimmingehus to execute the order in a second attempt. However, before they could carry out the order, a Danish-Dutch naval division arrived in Ystad, and the Swedes had to abandon the demolition attempts. Throughout the 18th century the castle was used as deposit for agricultural produce and in 1924 it was donated to the Swedish state. Today it is administered by the Swedish National Heritage Board.

On site there is a museum, medieval kitchen, shop and restaurant and coffee house. During summer time there are several guided tours daily. In local folklore, the castle is described as haunted by multiple ghosts and the tradition of storytelling inspired by the castle is continued in the summer events at the castle called "Strange stories and terrifying tales".

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