The Roman amphitheatre in Tarragona is one of the main attractions. It was built in the 2nd century AD and has been preserved to this day in very good condition. The amphitheater was located behind the fortress walls on the very shore of the sea, not far from the port.
The place at the foot of the hill where Tarraco was built was the best place for the locals to relax. There was a Roman Circus and a Forum nearby. They were approached by Via Augusta, which people used to enter the city from the port. In addition, it was convenient to deliver wild animals and gladiators, which were brought by sea from Italy.
Ancient city of Tarraco was the largest on the Spanish coast, thus the largest Roman Amphitheater in these area was also built here. It held more than 15 thousand spectators. Here were held traditional performances for the Roman Empire: Gladiator fights, animal baiting, as well as theatrical productions. Sometimes executions were also carried out here. So in 259, by order of the Emperor Valerian, during the persecution of Christians, the first Christians of Tarraco, Bishop Fructuose and his deacons Augurius and Eulogius, were burned here.
In the 6th century, during the reign of the Visigoths, the Christian religion became official, and the first Basilica was built on the site of the execution in memory of the first Christian martyrs. Funerary mausoleums were attached to it, where their remains were placed. In the 12th century, a fairly large Church of St. Mary was built on the site of the Basilica. During the Islamic rule, it was turned into a mosque, and in 1915 it was destroyed. Only the Foundation of the Church has survived to this day.
Today, the Roman Amphitheatre of Tarragona, as well as other attractions of the Roman era, are included in the UNESCO list of historical heritage. It is clearly visible from the viewpoint of the Mediterranean Balcony; however, it is worth going inside it. There is a small Park around the amphitheater.
