Tarragona Amphitheatre

Roman Amphitheatre of Tarraco

View of the amphitheatre
Location	Tarragona, Spain
Region	Hispania Tarraconensis
Coordinates	41°6′53″N 1°15′33.50″E
Type	Roman amphitheatre
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Amphitheatre, basilica, and Romanesque church
Type	Cultural
Criteria	ii, iii
Designated	2000 (24th session)
Part of	Archaeological Ensemble of Tárraco
Reference no.	875-007
Region	Europe and North America
Area	1 ha (0.0039 sq mi)
Buffer zone	8 ha (0.031 sq mi)
Spanish Cultural Heritage
Official name	Anfiteatro
Type	Non-movable
Criteria	Monument
Designated	5 August 1924
Reference no.	RI-51-0000298

The Roman Amphitheatre of Tarraco is a Roman amphitheatre in the Roman colonia of Tarraco –present-day Tarragona, Spain–, capital of the Roman province of Hispania Tarraconensis. It was built in the 2nd century AD near the local forum. It measured 130 by 102 metres (427 ft × 335 ft), and it could house up to 15,000 spectators. It was used for gladiatorial fights and combats between beasts or men and beasts.

Currently in ruins, it is part of the Archaeological Ensemble of Tárraco that was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000.

History

It was built at the end of 1st century AD and the start of 2nd century AD, down from the walls and facing the sea. There are remains of a large inscription dating to the reign of Elagabalus (3rd century AD) and located in the podium.

In 259, during the persecution of Christians by Emperor Valerian, the city's bishop, Fructuosus, and his deacons, Augurius and Eulogius, were burned alive. After Christianity became the official religion of the empire, the amphitheatre lost its original functions. The following years some of the building's stones were used to build a basilica to commemorate the three martyrs. Tombs were excavated in the arena and funerary mausoleums were annexed to the church.

The Islamic invasion of Spain started a period of abandonment of the area, which lasted until the 12th century, when a church was built over the remains of the Visigothic church, in Romanesque style. This was demolished in 1915.

In 1576, it became the convent for the order of the Trinity until 1780 when it became a prison for prisoners who were constructing the port. After closing the prison, it was abandoned up to the mid-20th century when work was started to recover the theatre, funded by the Bryant Foundation.

See also

• List of Roman amphitheatres