Between the Imperial zone and the residential buildings of the city of Tarraco was the Roman Circus (Circo Romano) – a stadium where chariot competitions were held. Just below at the foot of the hill was a Roman Amphitheater for gladiator fights. Thus, Tarraco was one of the largest entertainment centers in Spain.
The circus was built during the reign of the Emperor Domitian (81-96 AD). This was the last building to expand the Tarraco Imperial zone. Given the large size of Roman circuses, they were usually located outside the fortress walls. However, in Tarraco, it turned out that the Imperial zone was located on the top of a hill, residential buildings were built on the slope of the hill towards the Harbor, and the Circus had to be placed between them inside the fortress walls.
In the Spanish province, many cities bred racehorses, so chariot racing was popular here as nowhere else in the Roman Empire. The size of the Roman circus reached 325 x 115 meters. The size of this circus can be called small. The length of the largest Circus Maximus in Rome reached 600 meters, in Constantinople - 470 meters. Such a small size is explained by the fact that the circus of Tarragona was located inside the fortress walls.
Only the outline of The circus Maximus in Rome remains at the foot of the Palatine hill, and nothing remains of the Hippodrome of Constantinople. While the ruins of the Roman Circus in Tarragona are of great interest. Unfortunately, most of the circus is underground and modern houses are built on top of It, including the city hall of Tarragona. When installing an Elevator in the city Hall in 2006, builders found well-preserved rooms of the Roman circus. And the halls of the Vaults restaurant are generally located inside the ancient premises of the Roman Circus.
The Eastern part of the Circus has been excavated and is open to the public. It is located immediately behind the fortress wall, which is called Moreletta (Small wall), above it rises the Tower of Pretoria. There are still stands for spectators and stairs leading to them. Three arches of the stone facade of the circus have been preserved (originally there were 56 of them). Also preserved is the vaulted corridor intended for the passage of spectators, which also served as the Foundation of the external structure of the Roman circus of Tarragona. 50 meters of this corridor (6-7 meters high) have been preserved, which is about half of its original length.
The corridor ends near the Pretoria Tower. It still has a Roman Foundation, but it was built on during the early middle ages, when the Tower became the residence of the counts of Tarragona. Under the tower there is a long low tunnel of the Circus, various rooms of the circus. There is also a spacious hall that displays artifacts from the Roman period found during archaeological excavations at the site of the Roman Circus of Tarragona.
