Initially, the retired soldiers of the Fifth and Tenth Legions of ancient Rome were stationed in Merida. After the Cantabrian War, Rome gave them the land on the plain of Gua diana River. At the same time, this early colonial enclave is of great strategic value, because two main ancient Roman avenues meet here: one is Ravi de Plata connecting Merida and Astorga, and the other is connecting Toledo and Lisbon.
Merida was once the capital of Lusitania province in Roman Empire, and later became one of the most prosperous cities in Roman Empire. At the same time, in the first few years, it was an important religious center for spreading Christianity. Under the rule of visigoths, the city remained the capital of the Roman Empire for a period of time until it moved to Toledo. The Arab invasion made Merida a strategic fortress until the Catholic king Alfonso reconquered Merida in the13rd century, and the city later became the headquarters of OrdendeSantiago. Ruins of Ancient Rome Today, Spain has preserved the most complete ancient ruins and buildings, and witnessed Merida's glorious past.
In this way, the remains of ancient Rome still remain in every corner of the city. Teatroromano is one of the most representative buildings. It was built in BC 1 century and can accommodate 6000 spectators. There are also two rows of columns behind the stage of the theater, which are carved with decorative gods and royal figures. Next to the theater is the Colosseum, which is the stage for Roman gladiators to fight with wild animals. At the same time as the Roman theater, the Colosseum still retains some original relics, such as steps, boxes and stands.
Every summer, these two places are revived when they celebrate the Merida Classical Drama Festival, which is one of the most important drama festivals in Spain. TemplodeDiana ArcodeTrajano Arch is located in the city center. The arch is15m high and is one of the gates to the city. On the outskirts of the city, you can see the magnificent municipal projects at that time, such as PuenteRomano across the Gua diana River. This bridge is famous for its length of more than 800 meters and 60 bridge holes, and it became one of the largest buildings at that time. It crosses the rugged Rio Baregas River and brings water from the prosser Pina River near broerse to the city. The ancient Roman canal is still intact. The National Museum of Ancient Rome is the work of Spanish architect Rafael Moneo. Here you can enjoy the ancient Roman architecture of the whole city. Through the museum's more than 36,000 collections-all from Merida and its jurisdiction-and exhibition boards, the public can learn more about the history of the city and the daily life of the ancient Roman colonies. Arab rule also left some architectural relics. Just across the Gua diana River stands the most outstanding building of all: Bawa, Alcazar. There is a water pool (a kind of underground water storage tank) inside this Arab fortress, which was originally built by the ancient Romans and later rebuilt and decorated with western Gothic pilasters.
Next to this defense square is Conventualsantiaguista built during the reign of the Knights of San Diego. At present, this building is the official residence of the provincial government of Ostre Madura. The food in Merida, a scenic spot around Merida, is similar to that in other parts of Spain, such as mutton casserole (a dish made of mutton, onion, garlic and pepper) and some pork products, especially sausages and Iberian pork ham. At the same time, there are traditional cold soup (Spanish cold soup) and white garlic soup (sopasfrías), rabbit meat and stone chicken. You can enjoy all kinds of delicious food in any bar and restaurant in Merida, some of which are appetizers (small portions), such as pig ears, asparagus cut into triangles and cheese. While enjoying these delicacies, you can also taste the wine (nde wine) from Badajoz province. If you need to spend the night in Merida, you can choose Paradordeturismo, which is built in an ancient monastery in the18th century, right in the historic city center.
The capital of Estremadura is located on the ancient Roman road known as the Silver Avenue (VíadelaPlata). In the Middle Ages, this avenue was used for pilgrimage to San tiago de Compostela. Now, along this road, we can reach some very interesting towns in Estremadura, such as Zafra, caceres (whose ancient city is a cultural heritage of mankind) and Paula Sesia. Not far from the avenue, there are natural parks Monfragüe and Cornalvo. In the translation centers in these places, people will recommend the best tourist routes to you.
There are some interesting places just a few kilometers from Merida. To the south is Arange, where you can see a bathing place in ancient Rome and the capital of Almendra, Almendra, which is rich in crops. Go east, and you will arrive at Madelyn Village, the birthplace of Spanish conqueror Hernandez, and the site of an Arab fortress. In East Benito, you can visit MuseoEtnografico, one of the most important museums in Estremadura. There is also the village of Delasselle in villanova, where there are the most charming buildings, such as Ascension Church and City Hall.