🇪🇸 Mérida, Spain: A Journey Through Time 🏛️🌉
Discover Mérida, the former capital of Roman Lusitania and a UNESCO World Heritage Site 🌍🏛️. Founded in 25 BC by Emperor Augustus, Mérida is home to some of Spain’s most impressive Roman ruins, including ancient bridges, castles, aqueducts, and theaters!
🌉 Mérida’s Iconic Bridges
🔹 Puente Romano de Mérida – The longest surviving Roman bridge in the world 🌍! Built in the 1st century BC, it spans the Guadiana River 🌊 with 60 arches, stretching an incredible 792 meters! A true masterpiece of Roman engineering 🏗️, still in use today for pedestrians 🚶.
🔹 Puente de Lusitania – A modern bridge (1991) designed by Santiago Calatrava 🏗️, blending ancient history with contemporary architecture ✨. It crosses the Guadiana River, providing stunning views of the city.
🏰 Alcazaba of Mérida – A Roman & Moorish Fortress
🔹 Originally built by the Romans in 25 BC 🏛️, later transformed into a Moorish fortress 🏰 in the 9th century.
🔹 Features massive stone walls ⚔️ for defense against invaders.
🔹 Contains an underground cistern 💧 that stored water from the Guadiana River, an engineering marvel of its time!
🔹 Offers panoramic views 🌆 of the Roman Bridge and Mérida’s skyline.
🎭 Other Must-See Roman Landmarks
🏟️ Teatro Romano de Mérida – One of the best-preserved Roman theaters in the world 🎭, still hosting performances over 2,000 years later! Built around 16 BC, it once held 6,000 spectators 🏛️.
🏛️ Templo de Diana – A stunning Roman temple in the heart of the city 🌆, originally dedicated to Emperor Augustus and later repurposed as a palace.
🚂 Arco de Trajano – A massive Roman arch, once a grand entrance to the city, standing 15 meters tall.
💦 Acueducto de los Milagros – An impressive Roman aqueduct, built with granite and brick, originally used to transport water from the Proserpina reservoir 🚰.
🛡️ Casa del Mitreo – A Roman villa with beautifully preserved mosaics and frescoes, once home to an aristocratic family.
⚔️ Circo Romano de Mérida – One of the largest Roman circuses in Spain, used for chariot races 🏇