TARRAGONA, THE ANCIENT ROMAN CAPITAL

Tarragona is the capital of one of the four Catalonian provinces, is 100 km far away from Barcelona. The latin name of the city was Tarraco, and Tarraco become the capital of Iberia 2.000 years ago. Iberia was the biggest province of the Roman Empire. The reason of the importance of Tarraco as capital of Iberia is the fact that Emperor August lived in Tarraco during two years because the war againts the astures and cantabros. Strolling around the narrow lanes of the nowadays Tarragona you can find a lot of this glorious roman past.



Roman wall from the III and II century BC with megalithic stones at the bottom, you can compare the lady passing underneath with the size of the stones



The gothic Cathedral has been built on the top of the ancient Roman Temple, the church is consacrated to Saint Tecla and Saint Magi, both Saint's days correspond with the birth of August Emperor 23rd September, and the death of August Emperor 19th August



Corridors underneath of the Roman Circurs for arriving to the spectators seats, the circus had capacity for 30.000 people, and the population of Tarraco was around 40.000 inhabitants

View of the arena of Roman Circus from the I century AC used for horse and chariot races

Very near of the Mediterranean Sea, the Roman Anphitheater site of gladiators fights