The Merida Roman Circus or “Circo Romano de Merida” was built in the time that the city, then known as Augusta Emerita, was part of one of the colonies of the Roman Empire.
A vast sports arena able to accommodate up to 30,000 people, Merida’s Roman Circus would have been the site of chariot races and even naval games. It is considered to be one of the largest of its kind and, whilst it is unclear as to when the circus was constructed, it may have been around 25 BC, when Merida itself was founded.
Today, Merida’s Roman Circus is in fairly good condition for a ruin of this type, still having its original track, stands and gateways. There is now a visitor centre where tourists can learn about its history. Like other historic sites in Merida, the Roman Circus is part of the Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Merida Roman Circus is located in the northwest of the city of Merida in Spain, which is around 60km from Badajoz.
–
Merida’s Roman Circus is open daily 10am-2pm and 5pm-7:30pm (4pm-6.30pm Oct-May). Closed 1 Jan, 24, 25, 31 Dec. Entry €4, free for under 8’s. Combined tickets to Merida’s sites available (approx. €9).
http://www.spain.info/conoce/monumentos/badajoz/circo_de_merida.html?l=en
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/664/
http://www.turismomerida.org/es/que-visitar/monumentos
Av del Rey Don Juan Carlos I, Merida, Spain
+34 924004910
Just as empires rise and fall so do entry fees and opening hours! While we work as hard as we can to ensure the information provided here about Merida Roman Circus is as accurate as possible, the changing nature of certain elements mean we can’t absolutely guarantee that these details won’t become a thing of the past. If you know of any information on this page that needs updating you can add a comment above or e-mail us.
User Comments
You must register or sign in to post comments.
You must register or sign in to post comments.